thinking of getting a aluminum boat, have a few questions

[huzzsaba]

I am just thinking at the moment about getting a 12 foot, or even a 10 foot (if that exists) aluminum boat for smaller lakes etc. I found some ads with decently priced boats, but mention small leaks. I guess most leaks are from rivets. The question is, how much does it cost to fix say one leaking rivet at a shop? Or can it be fixed at home and if it can be done at home, what material/tools are required. I have never owned a boat so I am not sure what I am getting into.

 

Thanks

Edited April 18, 2015 by huzzsaba

[Old Ironmaker]

I wouldn't buy a leaky boat. It's not the repairing of the rivet that's the problem it's finding which rivet(s) are leaking.

[Bondar]

It's really not that big a deal I wouldn't think. I'd work the leak into my price. If you stand the boat on the side and work with a buddy to find any loose rivets and pound them tight again . As long as the leak isn't a Crack or hole it's really not a hard fix

[huzzsaba]

For sure I would go for a boat that is not leaking, but in the case where the seller says its not leaking and it ends up leaking.

 

Its good to know that it can be simple fix.

[Beans]

I used the "Tin of Beans " for twelve years and never did find and seal the leak after spending more dollars on gook and gunk than what I paid for her...

 

I eventually bought a bilge pump coupled with a 12 volt battery out of an old lawn tractor and used that to bail it out...it took a while but it worked...

[wallyboss]

If it's only a 10-12 footer you put it right side up on a few sawhorses and put some water in it. it should show you what rivet is leaking, I did that with my 14ft. Then the stuff from CT Alumaweld??. It's grey stick that you cut a piece off and then knead it and I just put it over top of the leaking rivet. It hasn't leaked in 10 years.

[Old Man]

Don't buy a leaky boat. You'll regret it.

[irishfield]

Remember, just because a bit of water won't drain out... doesn't mean a bunch of water won't squirt in from displacement loads. Boat is designed to take the load (water pressure) against the hull, not be filled with water.... but if you want to see how that seat brace separates from the hull...

 

We're talking an open floored tinny here... throw it in the lake, put some weight in it and sit and fish while you circle the leaking rivets with a sharpie marker. At the end of a long day throwing baits, take her home and reset the rivets that you marked. Repeat next weekend until you get them all, or you can just reset every rivet in the boat in an hour with the right tools.

 

When I bought the place up North it came with an early '60s Reynolds 12'r. It would have 3" of water in it by the time our daughter came back from work at Temagami Shores (gone for 7 hours). We put it on it's side against a tree, daughter inside with the bucking bar and me on the rivet setter. That was 10 years ago this June... it can now sit in the water for a month with ZERO water intrusion.

[creditmaster]

Pound the rivits then use caulking

[Gallie]

I used the "Tin of Beans " for twelve years and never did find and seal the leak after spending more dollars on gook and gunk than what I paid for her...

 

I eventually bought a bilge pump coupled with a 12 volt battery out of an old lawn tractor and used that to bail it out...it took a while but it worked...

Every spring im puttin a bit of work into my tinny, mind you i bought it for 300.

If your boat doesnt leak yet it will one day so price it in to your purchase and save some money.

Unless you are are perfect boater and never hit anything and never drag it up the launch or the shore...if so look for a sealed one?

[Acountdeleted]

For a 10 or 12 ft you can get a Lowe Jon boat at bass pro for around $500 brand new. No leaks. No mess. I reccomend it. The 10s are actually super nice but sit very low in the water.

[SirWhite]

Excellent topic. What are others things to watch out for when purchasing a used tinny?

[NAW]

Ya.. What wayne said.

 

Filling your boat with water to find a leaky rivet doesn't work well at all, and it a huge waste of time and patience..

 

Also know, that you can only re-tighten a rivet so many times. Check the rivets. Some on my boat are flattened out like pancakes.

Edited April 20, 2015 by N.A.W

[Blue Lk]

I have an old 12 ft "stash boat",it leaked for years & I tried silicone,epoxy & just about every quick fix I could think of without success.

Before I hauled it out to the bush for the last time I sprayed all the outside seams with cheap rocker panel spray from CTC,( rubberized asphalt).Not pretty but I gave the old boat a camo paint job on top.

3 yrs later & still no leaks.

 

Edited April 20, 2015 by Blue Lk

[MrSimon]

After years and years of fixing up old leaky aluminum boats, I've learned three things I wish I knew 25 years ago.

 

1. Leaky rivets can easily be removed and replaced with blind end pop rivets (dipped in a bit of 3M 5200). It's fast and effective. It's WAY better than banging on old rivets with a hammer or spreading goop all over them.
2. Cracks in the hull or transom are best fixed by taking it to a welding shop. Trying to use brazing rods or some type of sealant will just make a mess and cause problems later.
3. I never put any type of sealant, paint, or water-proofing material on the inside or outside of the hull. It always ends up being a messy and temporary fix.

[NAW]

x2 on the 3M 5200. The stuff is amazing. And stays flexible.

[jimmer]

You should be able to find a 12 footer that doesn't leak for a good price.

[smitty55]

A good way to identify a leaky rivet is to look for a hazy ring around the head of the rivet caused by the minerals in the water. Not foolproof, but often works. Then just use a bucking tool.

 

Cheers

[Rizzo]

meh...wear flip flops. When you scoot from once place to the next just pull the drain plug and let'er drain. a 12 footer needs personality....and an inch or 2 of h2o in the bottom will certainly do that

[Zamboni]

Gluvit is an aluminum boat owners best friend.