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How Long Do Aluminium Boats Last?


glen

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How long do aluminium boats last? I have a boat made in 1975. Is there anything i should worry about? It is painted aluminium. Other than a few big dents and loose rivets that leak it still looks good. I have had this boat for about 20years and i like it. Anyone else have an old boat?

 

Thanks.

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Thanks for the replies. You guys are great. The boat has a floor in it so i am waiting till i replace it in a year or two before i fix the dents and leaks. I put a auto bildge pump in it and that works real good. I will try for another 20years before i buy a new boat.

 

Thanks.

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Lessee, I own a 12 ft. Eatons aluminum boat. My buds mother worked at eatons her entire life, and does not remember eatons selling them, lol.

 

Then there is my springbok canoe, it's bottom is rippled between the ribs now from use and abuse, but still going strong, and I remember that thing from 40 yrs. ago fishing in it with my dad.

 

Aluminum boats can last a very long time if not damaged to severely.

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Actually .. even if they ARE banged up .. its not a big deal to repair them .... as Irish said a few new rivets and a little sealer and they wont leak a drop. If there's a big gash .. simple cut out the piece rivet a new piece in .. bang it into shape and bob's your uncle :)

 

Should out last you and me :)

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If that's the case then the suspect rivets could all be "set" again or replaced if necessary while you had the floor out. Generally a re-set on most of them that are easy to get at will put an end to any leaks. I did the 12' tinney at the lake, summer of '05, with my daughter holding the bucking bar on the inside. We did every accessible rivet in about 1/2 an hour. Went from the leaks filling the boat 2 to 3 inches in a day to zip for weeks at a time.... much to her appreciation as she was using it to go back and forth to work at Temagami Shores in Dress pants.

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Thanks again Wayne, mine started leaking this year at about 3-4 inches/day, I have the automatic pump but it will be nice to know my boats not leaking for the peace of mind.

 

What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

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If you repair them if and when needed, they can last a lifetime. :)

 

Just don't make a habit of running up onto rocks.

The few times I had to beach a boat for any length of time, (camping)

I would always rest the bow on a piece of wood and tie the bow line to a tree.

Much easier on the aluminum than rock, sand

or gravel.

 

A night of high winds will do some nasty work if your boat is shifting back and forth on rock.

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What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

 

 

A bucking bar is a peice of steel used on the inside of the boat to form the shop head of the rivet while it is being hammered by a rivet gun ( air hammer ).

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I have many OLD aluminum boats. (We leave them on NYC reservoirs chained to trees.) My buddies and I buy them at auction or otherwise used. Some are, by my estimates around 30yrs old, but that's a guess. They do take a beating getting dragged into the water, going over rocks on the shores.

 

I keep some JBWeld around to make fixes. Works well, though that is pricey for extensive repairs. Most of our boats don't leak. Only one of five is really a problem....I'll deal with it in the early spring.

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My 12 footer was my grandfathers originally then it went to my Dad, and now it`s mine. Still leaks a bit but wouldn`t trade it for anything.... It`s got to be over 50 yrs old, but with my merc 7.5hp on it she`ll do 19km/h with just me in it... The number of fish that boat has seen over the years must be mind boggling..

 

Doug

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Thanks again Wayne, mine started leaking this year at about 3-4 inches/day, I have the automatic pump but it will be nice to know my boats not leaking for the peace of mind.

 

What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

 

Sounds like you may actually have a crack somewhere. If you get the floor out have a really good look. They can be difficult to see but will radiate out of a rivet hole generally. As was already pointed out a "bucking bar" is nothing but a heavy hunk of metal...but with a polished face that forms the shop head of the rivet when using a rivet gun on the outside/mfg's head. As I pointed out right at the start of this thread you can also use two heavy hammers with as much success.

 

Seam leaks can be fixed by scrubbing the area with coarse 3M scotchbrite...cleaning with Acetone and then sealing with Sikaflex 391. Same can be done over a small crack..although the proper thing to do in your case before the floor went back down would be a proper alum patch riveted in place over the cracked area.

 

If you want a hand...once the floor is out bring it to Penetang and we'll sort it out together.

 

Wayne

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