[Howard Cummings]

Recently acquired a 1985 Alumacraft Jon boat. It has pin holes in the bottom apparently due to age and corrosion. Thinking about using MarineTex or Gluvit. Which is best.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

A new welded aluminum hull isn’t too expensive. Pinholes in aluminum hulls mean it has cancer and it will cobtinue to corrode.
If you’re hellbent on a temporary fix Steelflex is very popular.

 

[DuckNut]

It also means it has become thin and more flexible making anything you apply more susceptible to peeling.

LineX it.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

For the cost of LineX a new or good used hull would be more cost effective.

 

[makin moves]

Flex seal

 

[makin moves]

Or gorilla tape.

 

[anytide]

bilge pump ?


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/sea-...MI5YLAs9v54wIViYTICh3e4QsFEAQYASABEgIupvD_BwE

 

[krash]

Flex seal

Works on screen... but would cost more than a new jon-boat

 

[No Bait / Lures Only]

Uncle J's sells custom plate flat boat kits

 

[jasonrl23]

Aluminum brazing isnt very hard. Have you looked into that as an option?

 

[Howard Cummings]

I have patched the leaks with PC11 . Leaks not from rivets but from corrosion as saltwater was trapped in trailer bunk carpet.. and put flexseal on all bottom rivets. Now going to paint the entire bottom. We shall see what we see.

 

[Howard Cummings]

I have patched the leaks with PC11 . Leaks not from rivets but from corrosion as saltwater was trapped in trailer bunk carpet.. and put flexseal on all bottom rivets. Now going to paint the entire bottom. We shall see what we see.

Flipped her back over. Put 6 inches of water in her. Dry as a bone. At least right now. Thinking about powering down so I don’t beat it so bad.

 

[lemaymiami]

Good luck with that hull - I did something similar years and years ago with a custom rigged 16 foot Starcraft hull - then had to re-do it , and re-do it, and... You get the picture.

Your repairs will work just fine at first - but if you use it much - they'll need to be re-done all too soon.

 

[Howard Cummings]

Capt Bob, thanks for your thoughts. Maybe when it starts leaking again I will take it to the recycler. I stayed away from aluminum boats for years. Maybe I can get enough from the recycler to buy some West System so I can refurbish a glass hull.

 

[DuckNut]

Capt Bob, thanks for your thoughts. Maybe when it starts leaking again I will take it to the recycler. I stayed away from aluminum boats for years. Maybe I can get enough from the recycler to buy some West System so I can refurbish a glass hull.

I took an 8' F150 bed to the recycler and got $18.

The only fiberglass hull you will refurbish with the proceeds is an r/c boat hull

 

[Roux]

I did an alumacraft hull last winter. It is what I currently ride in. It was the very beginning of my build so the boat was bare bones. flipped it over an went at it. First thing I did was some light sanding of the entire bottom. Then I used 5200 on all of the bow to stern seams/runners. The next thing I did was an acid bath on the bare aluminum. Pretty sure it was a phosphoric acid. Came in a spray bottle and got it at an ace hardware. It was for etching aluminum before painting and what not. Gave it a couple good etchings and then I used Goop's product called Coat-It. its a 2 part epoxy rivet sealer very similar to gluvit. Did the entire bottom. Let it set up for a couple weeks and then painted it with alumahawk boat paint. So far dry as a bone and not a scratch on the bottom. This hull had some bad leaks when I got it so Im please at this point