# aluminum boat repair question?



## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

Over this season I tried to seal off a small hole. It is in the small keel seam, it just is leaking enought water into the boat to be frustrating. I tried engine casket sealer, expoxy glue on thin metal, coverd it with truck bed spry etc. Just seem that the water and running it in the river just reopens the leak. Now that winter in here I want to fix it right. 

I was wondering if anyone had used mircle putty to seal such a leak. I heard Cabela's has a plastic deal that melts into the aluminum with a toucrh set up. I also heard something about trying JBweld.

Would appricate comments on which way to go,for I am tired of spending time bailing out water while fishing.


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## alan farver (Apr 9, 2005)

can it be welded?


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I used JB Weld to do a repair on a aluminum boat and it worked for two years and then I sold the boat. Make sure do both inside and outside surfaces. 
Get the area completely clean, wipe it with laquer thinner, rough the surface with 80 grit sandpaper, wipe again with thinner and apply the JB. You want to go out at least 1" beyond the crack with the prepairation and the JB. Make sure you press hard over the crack, trying to force the JB into it. 
All that plastic stuff will work for a while but eventually breaks loose.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

JB weld works wonders! I've only had one leak I couldn't fix with it and it was on the keel.... (where the keel rested on the roller while transporting). JB Weld kept cracking. I went to Gander Mountain and got Marine grade silicone and did something similar to what Shortdrift said (cleaning, sanding, sealing both sides) and the problem was solved.


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## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone had used mircle putty to seal such a leak.

Yep, its what everyone has said so far.......JB Weld. That stuff is so good it should be illegal.


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

if the hull is flexing ..I would weld it


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## Abu65 (Apr 17, 2004)

Water weld made by JB weld is great. I have also used the Cabelas stuff with good success


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## waterwalker (Jan 24, 2008)

I have used the 3m product from Cabelas on a john boat that the rivets were leaking. Has worked great for 5 years.Easier and better than jb weld in my opinion


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

The leak is on the keel seam just about where the boat rest on the trailer's roller. I am not really skillful with a tourch so a little gun shy that I could do more harm than good melting the aluminum hull. So looks like the JB weld or the mircle putty my be the way for me to go. If that does not work out then the Cabela's & tourch is going to get a shot. Thanks again for taking time to assist me on this problem. Tight lines to all.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Jb Weld didn't work for me, and it seems like you have a leak in a very similar location that I had. Looked good after I did it the first time, but when I got to the lake all I saw was cracked JB weld from the bumps in the road.... Good Luck...


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## sparkywest28 (Feb 27, 2005)

Id Find Someone Who Can Weld And Do That.fix It,dont Wait Till It Gets To Bad.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

After fixing it, you should try and change/add support to your keel, if that's where it rests on the trailer, or else you'll have the same problem again. Be carefull welding it, also, as it may just crack out at the edge of the weld. There is some other stuf that I'll try and get the name of, that will repair aluminum. It is like a brazing rod, and you use a torch to apply it, and it's supposed to be the best there is.


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## catfishhunter33 (Apr 6, 2004)

i would suggest marinetex over jb weld.have sealed a few leaks on johnboats with good results

http://www.marinetex.com/index.html


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## headshaker (Sep 29, 2007)

I'm a welder & I do aluminum. Welding it is the the only right way to fix it. The more epoxys & stuff you put on it the more that will have to be cleaned off to weld it. PM me I'm sure i can help you.
Steve.


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## bigrog55 (Mar 17, 2008)

ive been tig welding for 20 years, and it is the only real way to permanently fix your problem, i fixed a 16 ' aluminum boat like that, and had to use a thin disc to split the keel, then open it up, weld the crack, then put the keel back together, and weld that, then grind it down, if its done right, you cant tell. good luck with ur venture.


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## bigrog55 (Mar 17, 2008)

dont forget to remove the battery's, and all electrical components, including un hooking the wiring harness to the motor, because when you weld aluminum, it is ac, and thats all high freaquency, and it will fry electical components because of overload of amperage


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## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

I have two big cracks on my aluminum bass tracker that opened up pretty big near the end of this season. I had one of them welded over at the beginning of the season, but a crack is a crack, and once it starts it will keep spreading due to the extremely small area at the tip of the crack where a lot of stress concentrates. 

Welding is though the best choice, and has worked longer than any substance I have tried...including JB weld. I am going to have the cracks welded again, the boat needs to last me one more year. If you have insurance they should cover the cost, just tell them you hit a rock.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

The stuff I was refering to is called HTS-2000. Just do a Google search for it. A friend of mine uses it, and swears by it, and says the claims on the website are true. Anyway, hope this helps..............


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## Bluefinn (Jan 26, 2007)

I also used marinetex on mine, great stuff. Used jbweld , only held one year. Marinetex has a good website. I picked mine up at the local boat dealer. There is also a caulk called LIFE that works good . Other than have it welded I would go with marinetex.


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## GRADY228 (Jun 25, 2005)

Any thing other than welding it will be just a patch!!!!


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