Gluvit, has anyone used it?

[Shloim]

Hi folks, I bought a boat this past summer its a 16 aluminum, side console with a 40 that runs great, love the boat! Just big enough for the kids to tube off of and very comfortable for a pair of fisherman. The only problem is it leaks a bit more than Id like. After sitting out a night on the water there's enough water to wet a couple feet of carpet at the back. I have to pump it out at least 2-3 times a day while out on the water. Its a bit more water than im liking. I have an opportunity to take it apart indoors this fall and diagnose/ repair it. I heard gluvit was the best. Has anyone used it? Any long term reports or tips would be appreciated.

Sheldon

[irishfield]

Just find the leaks, loose rivets and such and fix it right the first time. It's an aluminum boat, don't be putting epoxy on it to fix it. You wouldn't screw aluminum patches to a fiberglass boat... well I guess some just might...

 

Rebuck any loose rivets, look for any cracks and patch with alum and a few more rivets. Sikaflex 1A, or 3M5200 for sealant. You can also go into RONA and buy Sikaflex construction adhesive in gray for about 7 bucks a caulking tube. It's the same, for all intensive purposes, as the 1A.

[Sinker]

Listen to what irish says....

 

S.

[misfish]

Listen to what irish says....

 

S.

 

 

I did once. The turkeys never showed.

[Sinker]

Hahaha.....I cant speak for Wayne and turkeys, but he knows aluminum....that I know fer shur!

 

S.

[aplumma]

So far he has offered his professional advise on this subject at least to a dozen people with everyone of them very happy with the results. Waynes back round in metal work is due to his profession of rebuilding wreck aircrafts as well as making/ fitting aluminum floats from scratch.

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Art

[Shloim]

Irish you have quite the reputation! Thanks for the advice. So, the boat astonishingly enough was beautifully painted but not water tested beforehand. The guy who I bought it from restores them as a hobby and never put it in the water. So it's in "new" like condition, except for the leaks. Will I be able to seal from the inside with these products? And what do you suggest for any spots under the strips/mouldings or ribs on the boat? Apparently they are impossible to get to, and a product that can be poured in and will seep in to those areas was recommended previously. Thoughts?

[DanD]

Here's a link to what Wayne's meaning of rebucking or installing new rivets and patches. You will need to get to both sides of the rivet; so it will likely mean that you're going to have to take things apart.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hB3rIECtxM

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong on this Wayne.

 

Dan

Edited November 7, 2014 by DanD

[Mister G]

How about a installing a automatic bilge pump AND a on-board charger that can be plugged in at dockside. Now you're protected against leaks and from the battery going dead.

[Shloim]

The boat rarely stays in the water it's more a case of me having the opportunity to fix it indoors,off season... I'm a master electrician, so quite handy. It's just the ones that you can't get to that are concerning me. Also kind of concerned about putting it together and it still leaking because I messed something up! I can tear a house apart and put it back together with an addition or even a second story and have not a single question. Boats not so much...

[DanD]

Throw a hose in the boat and filler up or at least up to its normal water line; then start marking the leaking areas.

 

Dan.

[G.mech]

I have done a tinny using gluvit with very good results but, as suggested, all the rivets were tightened first which may have been a big part of the success. The gluvit has been on the seams for 5 years now and the boat still doesn't leak a drop.

[Consigliere]

I had the same problem as you with an aluminum boat. Leaked just enough to be annoying. Auto bilge pump was a nice upgrade so didn't have to watch out on the water for too much water leaking.

 

I also used Gluv-it to "fix" the problem. It worked flawlessly....for half a season. A couple trips out in bigger waves and the flexing differences opened up the leaks again. They weren't as bad as before but were there.

 

It's going to be a very quick job if you use GluvIt but any kind of pounding on the boat will be a setback. I didn't have the know-how to fix it as suggested by Wayne and I also knew the boat would only be with me for another season or 2 before upgrading so wasn't worried about how long the fix lasted.

[Steve]

don't fill an aluminum boat with water from the inside too high...

 

boats were not designed to 'keep water in'.....you'll watch a disaster occur right before your eyes.

 

(or youtube it to see it happen to others, lol)

[Old Ironmaker]

When you were shopping I suggested you leak test by putting in "some" water in the boat. It would have shown a major breach but may not have shown a few loose rivets because of the lack of hydrostatic pressure. I haven't seen many aluminium boats that are a few years old that don't take on some water. How much water are we talking about, a gallon, 3, 5, how much? I always have a gallon in the bilge that is below the auto bilge pump after being in the water all day on my 19 footer. If you have the warm dry place and time to do this off season take Wayne's advice, a gallon or so I wouldn't stress over, no pun intended. And put a good bilge pump in while you are at it. You never know when you will need it leaks or no leaks.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Old Ironmaker

[Old Ironmaker]

Steve I would be very interested to see what will happen if a boat is full of water when out of the water. I can't find anything on You Tube, I'm not a great googler. I have seen plenty that were left for salvage along the Peace River in SW Florida after Andrew in the fall of 92' that filled with water after beached. Nothing really happened with any that I saw other than a green toxic mess. What happens?

 

Thanks

[Steve]

the boats were designed to keep water out, not water in...

 

I first heard from someone on this board that they were doing the in boat water test and half way up filling it collapsed the sides and destroyed his boat...

 

then two years ago (or so) I saw a video posted from youtube of someone doing that with a bigger aluminum boat (alumicraft if I recall) and same thing happened...

 

I'm sure a physics or material engineering fella could explain this further....

 

but it takes a lot more structural integrity to hold water in then to keep it out.

[Steve]

here a link (nothing official, just supporting what I had heard).

 

http://www.landsail.net/proj4.htm

[Mister G]

I have never had a problem testing boats by adding water to them, HOWEVER I only put between 1/4 to less then 1/3 full of water as you never need more then that to test for leaks. At this level all the pressure in on the bottom of the hull and not on the sides but that is more then enough to find leaks. If you have a floor the water should be all below the floor of the boat.

 

But remember to support the trailer of the boat for all this weight. I use jack stand in 4 or 5 different places so not to put too much pressure on the axle, tires or even the trailer frame.

[irishfield]

This is starting to get more complicated than it needs to be. OP states, boat sitting over night = wet carpet at back. Out fishing he has to pump 2 or 3 times" which tells me the added weight of people and gear speeds up the water intrusion. Sounds like there's a crack somewhere... get underneath and have a good look around before you get to carries away at tearing things apart on the inside.

 

If you do tear apart the inside... there will be plenty of open water for some time in the GTA, so take it down to a ramp after the carpets up and float it for awhile, take a sharpie marker with you to circle the leaking rivets.

 

If you have some leaks in inaccessible places, you don't have to access both sides to install a new rivet... you can get blind "tank" rivets to simply coat with sealer... insert and pull.

[irishfield]

Oh and remember, just because a boat will hold water from draining out of it... doesn't mean there's not a rivet or crack that while under load will let the water in !

 

Do you have a livewell???? Is the transom input pump or it's corresponding plumbing leaking?

 

Oh.. and Brian...

Edited November 8, 2014 by irishfield

[misfish]

LOL

 

Mighty fine looking fellas there.

[Old Ironmaker]

Thanks Irish, yea it seems to be getting complicated. I think it is because finding a few rivets or small cracks can get complicated I believe. I just think Shloim might be putting the cart before the horse asking what to use to seal a leak. One thing to repair another thing to find them, all. My boat has hundreds of rivets. It might not even be a rivet, what about a small crack on the transom?

 

What do the pros do to find the leak?

[Mister G]

Water

[Shloim]

Johnny it is true I didn't leak test it. I was nervous and alone and it is my first boat. I did a compression test etc. It was a rookie mistake , it's been epoxy painted so it looked like a brand new boat. Never judge a book by its cover I suppose...The water coming in is minor for the way I use the boat as I mentioned. Just enough to be annoying. And yes weight is a factor. There is indeed a mark/ small dent on the bottom from the trailer sitting in a bad spot between ribs or rails on the bottom. I'm gonna tighten as many rivets as I can, seal it up as best I can from the inside and fish it's ass off as I did up till now.