Aluminum Boat Leak Repair

[SemperFiDawg]

JB Weld for aluminum/metal. I have a friend that put it on a hole in an aluminum car engine block years ago and it's still holding. I've used it on boats. It works very well.

 

[ryanh487]

Prop one end of the boat up, add water until it reaches the half way mark lengthwise. Repeat as needed to see if the leak is on the front half or the back half. Once the leak starts, remove water a little at a time until the leak stops. Then you know the leak is right above that water line. Mark it, cut the guard, bend it back gently, braze the leak, put the guard back, braze it back together.

 

[BoosterC]

Before you get committed to welding,grinding, etc.
Have you verified your drain plug was properly seated? Is the plug hole smooth and free of debris? Is the rubber on the plug pliable and not dry rotted? Add a little bit of lithium or marine axle grease to the plug to make sure the seal is complete.

 

[Doboy Dawg]

As much as a major pain as it would be, I’d repair it right. My hull has those guards, one all the way down the keel and short ones on the starboard and port sides of the bow.

The bow seam guards are welded at each end. I’ve never really looked at the keel guard.

If you were in SE Ga. I could get you to the right guy for the repair. The hulls are decent thickness in these boats. It should be a simple weld once you find the crack, unless it’s saltwater corrosion.

I have a spool gun to weld aluminum on my mig welder and have a small tig machine. The tig machine will make a better repair on thin metal every time.

If it’s a fresh water boat I’d repair it the right way the first time and be done with it. I’ve seen saltwater aluminum boats that have more pinholes than Swiss cheese.

 

[NE GA Pappy]

As much as a major pain as it would be, I’d repair it right. My hull has those guards, one all the way down the keel and short ones on the starboard and port sides of the bow.

The bow seam guards are welded at each end. I’ve never really looked at the keel guard.

If you were in SE Ga. I could get you to the right guy for the repair. The hulls are decent thickness in these boats. It should be a simple weld once you find the crack, unless it’s saltwater corrosion.

I have a spool gun to weld aluminum on my mig welder and have a small tig machine. The tig machine will make a better repair on thin metal every time.

If it’s a fresh water boat I’d repair it the right way the first time and be done with it. I’ve seen saltwater aluminum boats that have more pinholes than Swiss cheese.

yep...pull that guard cover, and find the leak. Have it welded, and the weld the guard back in place. Fix it right, fix it once. If you start gumming it up with sealants, epoxy and such, all that will have to come off to fix it right on down the road, which is what you know, deep down, will have to be done anyway

 

[Jack07]

I suggest using some recommendations to repair the aluminum boat's damages. Start by thoroughly heating the region around the crack with a butane flame if the crack is in the boat's hull. Apply crosshatch strokes and scrape the area with a brush to roughen the aluminum section. Apply a brazen rod to the crack's sidewalls and keep a steady heat source on the crack.