# sealing leaky rivets in aluminum boat



## bdawg

What do you use to seal the leaky rivets in an aluminum boat? I've heard that silicone caulk would work and is cheaper than buying caulking specifically for boats.


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## I Fish

Get a friend and 2 hammers and re-pien them, or replace them if they are ground down too far. Believe it or not, but a temporary fix with duct tape works better than you would think. I put some on a couple of rivets on my canoe last summer, and it's still there!


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## Flashball

is it an open boat or decked?


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## Matt Hougan

JB Weld.........


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## Seaturd

I used to drill them out and replace with stainless screws, washers and nuts.


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## WishinIWuzFishin

I agree with Matt or better yet Seaturds and Matts


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## bdawg

It's an open boat except for directly under the bench seats.


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## Flashball

bdawg said:


> It's an open boat except for directly under the bench seats.


Since you have access on both sides, bang em tighter then coat in and out with Gluvit.

The best quick repair tape to keep on board is NASHUA Waterproof Tape.


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## jennis9

agree with flashball.... re-pien them and add gluvit. all the guys on iboats with tinnies do the same thing to seal em up.


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## Angler ss

I bought a cheap air chisle from auto zone it came with a flat bit and a pointed bit. I ground the pointed bit down, I had a buddy hold a pcs of round stock on the out side of the rivet and gave each rivet on the inside a few hits with the air chisle. This is much easier than hammering them and gets the rivets tighter. If there are rivets that you can't get to I would use silicone but make sure you clean around the head of the rivet to remove any wax or loose paint don't cover the hole rivet just put a small amount around the edge of the rivet.
Angler ss


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## bdawg

thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll try the hammer method, then do some silicone caulk.


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## jennis9

bdawg - some guys would say silicone is for bathtubs - it can break down after a while especially with UV. Gluvit will be the best bet for sealing anything you miss.


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## Sculpin67

With Gluvit, do I need to turn a boat upside down, to put it on the outside?

I have a alum with a full floor, and I'm not sure where the leaky rivet is. I'm not sure if I can turn the boat over, and don't have access from inside.


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## Flashball

If you don't have access from the inside because of a finished interior then you need to identify the leak area. Before choosing to flood your floor, examine each rivet by touch as well as for paint breaks assuming the hull is painted.

What model is your boat?

Does it have the riveted keel strip running down the centerline?

Apply Gluvit to the rivets with a foam brush. Apply a little extra on the high side of the rivets and let gravity help. Wait a couple days, cover the rivet with something like MarineTex putty or Aquamend epoxy, let it set, then coat that putty with more Gluvit.

Before touch up paint, wash the repairs with 50/50 vinegar and water and a scotch brite etch.

To qualify the above, any chance to repair/replace the leaking rivets is the first method to choose. My suggestions are meant to provide multiple lines of defense as a makeshift fix.


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## Iowa Dave

Why not just drill out the loose rivets and put in new ones? Yes the double hammer thing works too.


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## allwayzfishin

spray it with bedliner paint for truck beds on the inside. slip resistant and leak proof. a double whammy . it will never leak again anywhere. much less labor intensive and pretty inexpensive too. just my 2 cents.


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## Flashball

he said he had no interior access, so hammerin rivets or inside undercoating wasn't an option

I did qualify my suggestion


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## RELAYER3

A working rivet will have a black ring around the head.If you know any Aircraft Mechanics get some cherrymax rivets or solid AN 470 oversized and install them wet with prc sealant around the rivet shank


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## bdawg

Thanks for all the input guys. I have an open boat, but the rivets on the bottom of the boat are all part of ribs. Should I just apply Gluvit along the edge of the entire ribs or just to the apply it topside around each leaky rivet? I'll be doing the hammer method cause I would have to buy tools to install new rivets. 

Also noticed that my boat did not leak as much the last trip out as it did the first. Is this because the water is warmer?


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## Iowa Dave

bdawg a rivet gun is only like 10 bucks and you can drill out the rivets and put in new ones yourself. Check with the manufacturer and they will tell you replacement size and length. Not a big deal. If these are rib rivets you might have more problems that it is worth if you Don't replace them.


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## Marinette Sportfisherman

use 3M 5200 to seal the rivet, its a little pricey but will hold up.


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## still casting

I work with a guy , who has a leak in his alluminum boat it more of a slit than and actual hole. Where can he buy this stuff at? water proof tape, Gluvit ,MarineTex putty & Aquamen epoxy. Thanks.


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## Flashball

search Gluvit online, various choices

aquamend and Nashua waterproof tape at Home Depot

Gluvit is high dollar$, start with a quart, it goes a long way


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## still casting

Thanks , I'll let my buddy know.


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## jredheadc

My first boat was a 10' alum jon boat that had som leaky rivets.. Im a carpenter by trade and had some peel n seal left from a job.. Peel n seal is a commercial roof that is designed primarily for flat roofs or can be used as flashing.. It can be purchased at Lowes, home depot, menards etc.. I cut a couple 3" x3" pieces, heated it up with a propane torch and stuck it over the rivets (using a roller).. They never leaked after that!! Easy,cheap and effective..


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