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Trying the least expensive option, I put some J-B Weld WaterWeld on it today. I will try to file it down tomorrow. Such a thin crack, not sure how the repair will go.
This crack was exactly where my boat sits on my only center roller. I shifted the roller forward a few inches. My boat will be 16 years old on Thursday and this is my first crack.
Tapout, my aluminum boat got damaged in a storm several years ago, got a crack at the bend where it transitions from the bottom to the side. Didn't want to loose the boat for a couple weeks to have it welded, so me and a bud cleaned all the paint off, down to bare metal, then applied JB Weld. Been holding for 3 years now, no leaks. I'm sure the bottom where your crack is gets more stress, but hope it holds up for you.
Bob
i 2nd the jb weld... amazing stuff! i have sealed several holes in my aluminum boats with jb weld... havent used the water weld? just the regular jb weld but i think it will be fine.
If that doesnt work,this will Cabela's: Cabela's Aluminum Boat Patch. I used it on almost all of the rivets on the camo boat. All you need is a torch. I have a whole stick left. You are welcome to it. I can even meet you somewhere during the week if you decide to use it.
Walmart sells that stuff too, at least mine does, but then again they sell BnM rods, guns, and a half aisle worth of troll techs crappie cranks and other crappie tackle ( gotta love franklin walmart)
I hope you get it straightened out George. If nothing else alumacraft is making a mod v 1448 like mine but without the center bench now.
I wonder if this stuff is any good. The advertisement sure makes it look good. Aluminum Repair Video using our brazing rod HTS-2000 and a heat source, no welding machine needed!
drill out both ends of crack, to kept from spreading !
Bill, that stuff is ok, the problem is that when you heat the aluminum, you change the molecular structure of the metal and it becomes softer/ more malleable. This means the repair( when the alloy rod is added) wont split again, but the chances of the edges of the repair will spilt again.
Op, first you need to remove the roller. It needs to be welded to hold for a long time, anything else is wasting money. If you insist on putting jb or marinetex, make sure it covers a wide area. You need a lot of adhesion/ surface area to keep the patch from ripping off.
Mine gets a similar treatment several times every year, I'm to cheap to have it fixed(split is under a rib) and I keep saying that this year is the last year on this boat... I've had it 25 years- she's been a good one.
x2Quote:
Originally Posted by ifish4redd
tap ,with a split like that anything you put on it with bouncing is not going to hold, split will increase and drilling hole is a guess work for the hair line under surface may be pass the hole you drill. without welding it is gone to continue to split and as for alumin rod with torch i have some but that is not going to work .I tried it a few years ago and it buckles your boat and alumin have to almost be at the melting temp for a good stick which going over that point and alumin will cave in. Have it welded and have the confidence without worring will it hold,that is what I had to do. After all you can use other boat or if you wanted to go to kerr you could swing by and get mine, I will be out of commission till almost May if the Lord wills
Yeah Where that crack is, You need to get it welded. Take it to a machine shop. I got a buddy down here by me that could do it quick if You arrange the time with him. Just leave it with a good shop, take the Lund out a time or two until You can get it back ion business.CF
So sorry Tapout, a good old johnboat is a wonderful thing.
Drilling a 3/16 hole at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading is good advice. Filling with Marine Tex is good, as well.
Welding is best. If it were mine, I would drill, fill, and then fabricate a plate to fit over the area out of .072 Aluminum and then weld around or bond it in place. Then you are going to have to relocate the roller and provide some additional support elsewhere. Do you really need the roller? If your bunks are large enough they should do the job. My old Fisher, rest it's soul, had rollers on the trailer but they were positioned in such a way that they functioned as the keel ran up on the trailer. Once up on the bunks, the only support was two large bunks. Rollers and aluminum boats don't really go together. The good news is now you have an excuse to sell it for scrap and get a new one!
That's a good question. It came with the trailer so I just left it on. Perhaps I will see how it goes without it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don French
Way to much stress on that rib, something is not set up right, get trailer fixed FIRST.
When your boat is up on trailer it should not have weight on a rib, weight should be spread out on the flats between ribs. That rib looks way to worn, looks like repeated hitting something. I would reset trailer to have boat come up on 2 rollers one on each side and nothing in the middle. Just my take.
The wear is from beaching it on rocky shore lines. You don't think that my boat being 16 years old is a factor? I had already moved the boat back on the trailer a long time ago as my tongue weight was too heavy and my trailer tires were bouncing and getting chewed up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flatwater
The same thing happened to an old boat of mine. I eliminated the roller and ran carpeted bunks to spread the support over the length of the boat. I put a fiberglass patch over the hole. It was still dry when I sold the boat 2 years later.
That crack is in a bad place, stress and stain from the roller will make it grow. Welding is the way to go. But if thats a thin boat you will need a welder that knows what he is doing. Expensive but good. Some of those gouges don't look good either. I cracked one once across the tailgate and it always leaked, was glad to see that boat go. If you are going to use epoxy, sand the whole area you want to cover, JB Weld or the MarineTex are both good choices.
You will want to have it Tig welded Tap.
A lot of great ideas, thanks to all. I am going to go the cheapest and quickest fix for now. (we all know how that typically ends up) Since I also have my Lund to fish out of if this does not work it's not such a big deal. My outside patch stopped about 98% of the leak so today I removed my front seat and cut open my floor expecting to see wood under it but finding foam.
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After removing the foam you could plainly see the crack.
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I have applied JB's water weld on the inside as well so we will see how this goes. If this does not hold up I will surely be exploring one of the many options that I was given so thanks again.
Buff that inside up good and cover with a few layers of fiberglass.