aluminum boat crack help.

[GARNERMAN357]

hey need some advice. i have a 1989 bass tracker and last year developed to small cracks that caused the hull to leak. had a guy weld it for 100 bucks and know they cracked open again along the weld in the same place. should i get it fixed or whats the best way to fix it or do i just need to look for a new rig? cracks are visible but not a giant hole. ones is about 4 inches long the other is close to 7 inches. boat is in good condition other wise. any advice is welcome thanks.

[oarfish]

Can you patch it from the inside with a piece of aluminum and pop rivets?
Then apply Gluvit (same as epoxy) on the repaired surface.

["Big" mark the shark]

Can you take it back to the guy that did the work on it.Because it should not have cracked in the same place.And may be he can weld a patch over the cracks.

[Bad Bub]

You may have a structural problem below the deck that is causing it to stress in that area. If you have access panels so you can look below the deck, check the stringers and support braces. If any have pulled loose you'll want to get those fixed or you'll be constantly repairing cracks in the hull due to added flex.

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[freyedknot]

too much heat on the repair will make the surounding metal nrittle and cause cracks next to welds.

[bluegilla killa]

depending on the weight of the boat, a roller trailer can cause that also. My project boat has a few cracked ribs fron being on rollers. I plan on switching them out with boards pretty soon!

[Bad Bub]

Originally Posted by bluegilla killa

depending on the weight of the boat, a roller trailer can cause that also. My project boat has a few cracked ribs fron being on rollers. I plan on switching them out with boards pretty soon!

Very good point! Just read something about this on another site.

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[crappiedude]

Originally Posted by bluegilla killa

depending on the weight of the boat, a roller trailer can cause that also. My project boat has a few cracked ribs fron being on rollers. I plan on switching them out with boards pretty soon!

I knew a guy who's tracker cracked several times and had it repaired each time. I talked to a dealer and he said the problem was he was cranking the winch down to tight. He started leaving the winch just snug and he quit having the problem. If that's the case, maybe just extend the front arm by a couple of inches and it should help sove the problem. It seems that something on the trailer is causing to much stress on the hull if its pulled up the last few inches.