Leaky boat

[LostAnotherOne]

Hi guys,

Just had my boat in the water for a week straight and noticed there is a small amount of water coming in.  Bailed out a few times and also pulled the plug while driving to make sure everything was out.  It's a 96 aluminum 14' Lund.  I was planning on filling up the boat today in the driveway to see if I can see anything come out underneath.  Thanks

[Fisherman]

I would avoid going that route of filling the boat.  Boat hulls are designed to take the pressure from the outside inwards, not the other way around.   Filling it even partially will further stretch the rivet points and seals to the point that the leaks will just increase.   Just my opinion.

[Hack_Fisherman]

I agree with Fisherman

 Do you have a floor installed? 

 If not, just put the boat back in the water and watch for the leak. 

 I would also check the plug seal where the kill comes at the bow.  If they made your boat with one sheet of aluminum, it will be pulled together at the front.  The keel strip is usually open or has drilled holes in it at the transom so it doesn’t expand by freezing water.  There will be caulking seal at the front of the strip where the bow rises.

[LostAnotherOne]

Thanks for the advice guys.  Unfortunately I already filled it up and drained it.  Two small leaks coming out back.  Not sure if getting new motor last week is related to it leaking.  Anyways I marked both and will find a good quality sealant.  

[Fisherman]

Picture #2, is that a crack below the X?

[LostAnotherOne]

18 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

Picture #2, is that a crack below the X?

Just went outside and checked and you are correct.  Good eye Fisherman.  Just ordered 2 tubes (3oz each) of 3M boat sealant so hopefully I can fix this issue.  

[Fisherman]

Half deaf, wacky knees, sore cranky back, eyes still working, lol.  When you get ready to do the job, clean the surface really well with either 0000 steel wool or a small stainless brush.  Clean the area with either lacquer thinner or acetone and wipe clean. 

[LostAnotherOne]

18 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

Half deaf, wacky knees, sore cranky back, eyes still working, lol.  When you get ready to do the job, clean the surface really well with either 0000 steel wool or a small stainless brush.  Clean the area with either lacquer thinner or acetone and wipe clean. 

Will do.  Thank you very much for your input.

[Hack_Fisherman]

3M 4200 or 5200 only. I think the 3m 4000 or their “marine sealant” isn’t rated for long periods below the waterline. CT sells it in marine section

[Hack_Fisherman]

Do you have a cracked knee brace? Wondering what caused the crack in the skin

[LostAnotherOne]

7 minutes ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

3M 4200 or 5200 only. I think the 3m 4000 or their “marine sealant” isn’t rated for long periods below the waterline. CT sells it in marine section

5200 was the one I ordered.  Thanks

 

8 minutes ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

Do you have a cracked knee brace? Wondering what caused the crack in the skin

Not sure what caused it.  I take it out on day trips all the time, but never noticed anything odd.  It was just this past week on Nipissing that I had it in the water all week.  After a few days you would see the water slowly building up again.  I should of emptied everything in the boat and see exactly where it was coming from.  Will be on Erie in a few days so I will check and hopefully pinpoint it.  I just put a new motor on, but I doubt the vibrations from a different motor caused it.  Thanks for your input.  Off topic here, but the wife caught a 47" pike up there earlier this week.  Will post it when she emails me the pic.  Set a new family record that I doubt anyone will beat.  

[lew]

10 minutes ago, LostAnotherOne said:

Off topic here, but the wife caught a 47" pike up there earlier this week.  

47" is a very impressive pike, congratulations to your wife !!

[LostAnotherOne]

I remember being at the local bait store with her and her saying that this pink lure looked cute.  Picked it up and put it in her stocking at Christmas not knowing what would happen.  She hit on the first shoal (15') of my trolling route.  

Edited June 21, 2020 by LostAnotherOne
Mistake

[cisco]

The pic with the two x markings shows same issue with both side keels. IMO the crack runs beneath the keels so hard to get at from the outside. Both are right beside the trailer carpeted slide bunks so my guess is somehow the bunks are involved. Too much pressure from.....water weight in the boat while stored or maybe a rear-end collision where motor was hit hard or trailering over bad bumps and pressure went to crack the hull both spots. Check to see if transom is straight and not angled and check health of knee braces inside as HF advises. Me, I'd get at the hull inside to see if the crack(s) are bad. Regardless I would clean inside with acetone/steel wool and lay a couple strong kevlar fiber mats there using epoxy resin/hardener. Want to reinforce the spots where weakness has happened and may grow.   

Oh and what a nice healthy trophy pike!!! Hard to beat that one for sure.

Edited June 21, 2020 by cisco

[vance]

 I think they are caused by the bunks being to short,I was told years ago that on aluminum boats the bunks have to be long enough to support the transom to prevent bending or cracking when trailering.

[NAW]

4 hours ago, vance said:

 I think they are caused by the bunks being to short,I was told years ago that on aluminum boats the bunks have to be long enough to support the transom to prevent bending or cracking when trailering.

That happened to me... 

 

I think my trailer was designed for a 12' boat, and I have a 14' on it.. 

 

 

[NAW]

On 6/20/2020 at 1:35 PM, LostAnotherOne said:

 Not sure if getting new motor last week is related to it leaking. 

 

Did you upsize your motor to something heavier? 

 

You might want to put a transom saver on that (motor support). 

 

They where on sale at PA for $35... 

[LostAnotherOne]

1 hour ago, NAW said:

Did you upsize your motor to something heavier? 

 

You might want to put a transom saver on that (motor support). 

 

They where on sale at PA for $35... 

Will look into the transom saver thanks.  I went from 96' 25 Yamaha to a new 20hp Yamaha.  Just gonna apply the sealant and see how it goes.  Just gonna treat it like a roof leak.  Apply and apply until she's sealed.  If it costs me $100 in sealant so be it.  I did look into Flex seal lol.  After reading reviews that's not the way to go.  Will have to redo every few years.

[Fisherman]

1 hour ago, LostAnotherOne said:

 I did look into Flex seal lol.  After reading reviews that's not the way to go.  Will have to redo every few years.

You have to cut your boat in half for that stuff to really work well, lol.

[LostAnotherOne]

38 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

You have to cut your boat in half for that stuff to really work well, lol.

Lol.  Too funny

[Gil Levesque]

Dont use steel wool! It will contaminate the aluminum and cause rust!(steel shedding from steel wool) use a scuff pad and solvent! Cheers.

[LostAnotherOne]

Finally applied the sealant for the boat.  Had it on Erie on Saturday and just a little is coming in not like before.  Going to apply what I have left of the sealant in the area I think is still leaking.  Thanks for the advice guys.  

[glen]

Great pike.  
 

Check your Transom  wood.  

[super dave]

what about an aluminum brazing rod?   it creates a pretty strong bond to the aluminum.  might solve your crack issue.   just make sure you use MAP gas instead of propane.   Propane will not get it hot enough to melt the brazing rod, especially on a big boat.

Edited July 29, 2020 by super dave

[Hack_Fisherman]

7 hours ago, super dave said:

what about an aluminum brazing rod?   it creates a pretty strong bond to the aluminum.  might solve your crack issue.   just make sure you use MAP gas instead of propane.   Propane will not get it hot enough to melt the brazing rod, especially on a big boat.

I’d look into whether the heat affected zone will cause further problems. Distortion, work hardening causing stress cracking etc. Also too, there should be a butyl type sealant between the riveted flanges that will likely melt out...