I just bought a Jon-Boat and I'm looking for advice. I posted about gettin' it in the powder keg, but figured I'd put the in-depth stuff in the appropiate forum. My boat is in decent shape, but it's been used hard. In the back, it leaks through 3 pinholes. I'm lookin' for advice about the best way to waterproof it. I have a few ideas, JB Weld, Roofing Tar, the do-it-yourself bedliner sold by the gallon at Wall-Mart, and spot-welding the holes. I am also working on my BOB (Bag on Boat LOL) supplies. Paddles, float cushions, am going to spray a couple of cans of sealant foam-in-can under each seat, installing outdoor carpet for my tootsies, and fabricating a push-pole. Lookin' for a trolling motor also. Anyone who has used the bedliner approach, I would appreciate your long-term reviews!
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My dad has a Boston Whaler...I think it's 12-13'. He used the bedliner idea on the floor. He then went over it and painted it lightly to match the boat. I'll try and snap some photos for you in the next day or so. He is really proud of it.
He loves that boat, and I can understand why. It's beautiful.
My Dad fixed the leaks in a aluminum boat by drilling out the pinhole and taking a small piece of aluminum rod and just rivited it in the hole by peaning both ends.A blind rivet that works in a poprivet gun would also work or JB weld what ever is esier.I bought a boat and cussed the person that put tar on it,it was hard to remove and after fixing the leak painted the botom with 3 coats of good epoxy enamel paint and when dry it was hard to even scratch with a nail.
If it's a seam leak, they sell sticks of green rubbery stuff that melts at a fairly low temp. You hit the seam with a torch, and melt the sticks onto it as you go; the stuff sucks in as the metal cools. You need to be careful about overheating the aluminum, obviously.
A guy I bought a boat from proudly threw in a small bundle of the stuff he had paid thirty bucks for at Cabela's, or some such place. I had serious trouble keeping my mouth zipped and a straight face...we use them to repair scratches and scrapes on the modern epoxy coatings on large pipelines, and I had probably three times that much just floating around in one of my desk drawers.
Wish I'd kept some now; I'm not doing pipeline any more. Although I guess if I need it, all I'd have to do is call one of my former fellow pipeliners, and ask him to drop some by next time he's in town.
You need to be careful about overheating the aluminum, obviously.
I recently traded for a canoe that had a silver dollar sized hole in it, that someone had tried patching with JB weld, and hadn't worked to well. I bought aluminum brazing rod and tried that. I can braze steel and iron fairly well, but aluminum is a different animal. I was able to use the rod as filler and fill the hole up, but I couldn't get the weld to "take" on one side, so it leaks yet. Guess my point is, unless you're experienced with aluminum welding, it may be more trouble than it's worth to try to spot weld the holes. Troy2000 is certainly right about overheating!
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It depends on how big the holes are and how bad it leaks?
Sheet metal patches and rivets is one method. Of course you'll still need to use some sort of sealer under the patch. In my opinion, sheet metal patches are the best method for aluminum boats. One on the top and bottom of the hole riveted together with a tar in between works well.
Can you make larger pictures of the area/s that need fixing?
This is another option and it might be the method Joe Brainard mentioned above about someone trying on the canoe he picked up? But a while back I saw an infomercial about these aluminum brazing/welding rods. You just use a torch. I've never used them but have heard they do work. But the metal has to be prepped thoroughly and properly other wise it won't adhere well or last long... But again, I think this is the stuff I'm thinking of?
GlockMeister, that appears to be a much more user-friendly product than the aluminum brazing rods I bought at Fleet Farm. I am going to try again, and put more time into the metal prep and see how that turns out.
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You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.--Gospel of John 8:32 NRA Member
Yes, from what I learned and was told, prep is what makes or breaks this stuff? Having and making sure to have a super clean area for it to adhere to seems to be what makes this stuff work and last. And I suggest, that since you can, you do it on and from both sides. Kind of sandwich the patches together? But supposedly, if the holes/leaks aren't too big, you can just or are suppose to be able to just buuild up the material and then grind it down?
Good luck and I truly hope it works for you. Be sure and let me/us know will ya'.
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There are 3 holes in my boat, they're just pinholes, it barely seeps. It's useable the way it is, just want to seal 'em up. My cousin and I talked about it and I think we'll try rivets in the hole, seal bottom with tar, and coat inside with bedliner.
Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it!
__________________ I'm here for a good time, to h*ll with the red wine, pour me some moonshine!
Last edited by thrillbilly; 05-13-2009 at 01:31 AM.
If you are just talking pinholes, then the easiest solution is to thoroughly clean & key the area and just paint on some epoxy resin, same-same stuff as you'd use for Glass fiber matting. Do the same with the otherside or else paint the outside with a good epoxy paint on top of a good aluminum etching primer. Cracks need a different approach of course. On another note, keep copper away from the Aluminum otherwise you will get a holey boat (more so if you use it in sea water) .
Keep away from Tar on a pleasure boat, it is considered a 'Bubba' fix product! It's OK on the outside of a wooden clinker work boat.
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Go to a Marine store and get some MarineTex.(Marine grade epoxy)..Made for underwater use and sticks to metal and fiberglass Both. You can even coat a short sheet metal screw with it and screw it in the pin holes, smooth it over the screw and let it harden ! Will Not leak or blow out , just not for an exposed area where you might step on the screw point , those need to be ground down almost flush !
Rich
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my father and I had something similar. At that time there was a mesh you put on the boat's surface then fiberglass totally inside and out. Our boat was still going strong twenty years later. Just clean the surfaces. A light sandblast is a good idea. Smooth the area around the hole.
thrillbilly...regarding fixing leaks in an aluminum jon boat...just face it...you've got to follow rule #1 in repairing aluminum...that is to clean all the old tar and stuff off the surfaces in the area's which leak. Then, go to rule #2...which is to repeat rule #1. Then go to rule #3 which is to follow rule #2.
You got the idea by now. Even though I'm talking about lots of sweat equity at it's highest level...you can't cheat and leave the surfaces of aluminum dirty. I'm referring to both sides of the boat surfaces.
Then...there are several options. Best one is if you have access to a TIG welder...or know someone who'se good at it. The process is similar to oxacetylene welding...except aluminum rods are melted and assisted with a gas envelope keeping oxygen away from the melt area.
If that's not possible...go to plan B...which is to use some of the ideas listed in earlier posts above.
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Now about you locating a troll motor for your jon Boat....Here's one I have for sale at a bargain price. Look at the pics I'm gonna post below: I wish you'd take this motor off my hands because I need the space it's taking in my shop area. It was last run two seasons ago when I used it once a week for filshing. It is an antique...made in 1948 or 49, 4 1/2 HP, Evinrude, 4 cylinder, short shaft, pull cord, self contained gas tank. I inherited it from my father in law who bought it new and used it in a lake near Ft Smith, Arkansas.
This motor is on sale at a bargain price of $200 plus shipping. I will box it up at my expense...but shipping expense is on the buyer. It would be sold "as is." Being an older motor I can't guarantee anything. However, I can honestly say that it ran just fine when I used it last. The oil mix is 25 to 1.
Let me know if you're interested in more information about the motor...Just give me a PM.
thrilldood.....i share a shop with a guy who sells rhino spray in bedliners, he uses my paint booth to spray'em. prolly one of the best and toughests linings on the market(most expensive too).2 things i have noticed in the 10 years of see'in this type of stuff is #1 it can work but prepping the surfaces to be sprayed/coated it utmost unless you wanna watch it peel off after 6-12 months, #2 a good liner is heavey, those paint in cheapies are just that.....CHEAP! i'd rather go with the other posters idea about epoxy IMHO
Boat Leak Fixes? 
Thanks! 
