Leaky hidden rivet problem.

1997 Starcarft Fishmaster 190

I have a leak in the front of my boat under the front deck/livewell. It is also under the keel plate on the outside and under a cap on the inside. Does anyone know if there is another set of rivets under the keelplate/cap that join the boat together?

In the past I have found leaks by putting water in the boat (found and fixed 10 rivets) and loading the boat in the water slowly (still straped to the trailer) and finding four more. This leak does not show up on the outside but when I raise the boat up (via the front trailer wheel) water will come out the back of the keel plate (and yea I made sure the plate was drained before I lowered it past level again). Any ideas out there?

Thanks in advance,
Barry L.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

barryll said:

1997 Starcarft Fishmaster 190

I have a leak in the front of my boat under the front deck/livewell. It is also under the keel plate on the outside and under a cap on the inside. Does anyone know if there is another set of rivets under the keelplate/cap that join the boat together?

In the past I have found leaks by putting water in the boat (found and fixed 10 rivets) and loading the boat in the water slowly (still straped to the trailer) and finding four more. This leak does not show up on the outside but when I raise the boat up (via the front trailer wheel) water will come out the back of the keel plate (and yea I made sure the plate was drained before I lowered it past level again). Any ideas out there?

Thanks in advance,
Barry L.

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In the bow they split the bottom piece from the tip of the bow to about 6 ft back. There is about a 1/2" gap that is covered by the plate. This, I presume was to accomdate the forming of the double curve in the bow. That gap is filled with a epoxy sealer and it may be that it's gone bad on you. I poured GluVit into mine when I had the deck tore off but I've heard of folks pulling the carpet back and using a funnel to pour gluvit into the crack and letting it run down. I think you might need to be pretty clever to make that happen. I don't know, I never tried it.

But, that's probably where your leak is comming from. The water is in the boat, it leaks down into the keel plate and when you raise the boat it runs out the drain holes. Put the boat back down and the water in the bilge runs forward and leaks back into the keel plate.

For added security, I cut a hole under the front hatch and put another bilge pump in.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

Crawling around under the hull will actually show the bad rivets. They are fairly easy to spot. Gluvit can be applied to the exterior under the hull and if you spot a bad area that you can not get to.... use gluvit and a small brush.

It will take a few coats.

The key was mentioned..... you might have to get creative.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

sschefer said:

But, that's probably where your leak is comming from. The water is in the boat, it leaks down into the keel plate and when you raise the boat it runs out the drain holes. Put the boat back down and the water in the bilge runs forward and leaks back into the keel plate.

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Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!


Exactly , that is how I narrowed it down to a small area. Do you think I should run some kind of cleaner through it first (especially if it looks like what's under the floor deck)?

.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

Bob_VT said:

Crawling around under the hull will actually show the bad rivets. They are fairly easy to spot. Gluvit can be applied to the exterior under the hull and if you spot a bad area that you can not get to.... use gluvit and a small brush.

It will take a few coats.

The key was mentioned..... you might have to get creative.

Click to expand...

Thanks to the reply!

Ya that's how I found many of the original leaks (and I looked many times over many days) but two I had to find by loading the boat in the water, slowly, and finding the two also went through a bulkhead retainer. I think the tank shifted earlier and loosen them just slightly.


I'm am kind of creative, being an retired Tinsmith and all . I cut my back straight splashwell up last winter and modified to a offset back like the new Fishmasters. I need to post some pictures of all the modification I have did to this boat but I'm to busy working on the boat..............just kidding?

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

can you paint over gluvit or prime first i"am using direct to metal paint need help boat leeks

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

barryll said:

Thanks for the reply!


Exactly , that is how I narrowed it down to a small area. Do you think I should run some kind of cleaner through it first (especially if it looks like what's under the floor deck)?

.

Click to expand...

I think that would be a good idea. GluVit will penetrate pretty well on it's own but cleanining it as best you can will certainly make it's job easier. Otherwise, you'll just be sealing the dirt and eventually that will probably break loose.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

sschefer said:

I think that would be a good idea. GluVit will penetrate pretty well on it's own but cleanining it as best you can will certainly make it's job easier. Otherwise, you'll just be sealing the dirt and eventually that will probably break loose.

Click to expand...

Thanks sschefer, now the search for a good non scrubbing cleaner!

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

You're welcome, I love your quote... I once was told to take anger management classes. I bought a boat instead. As long as I have a boat to work on, the work stuff seems simple. The only part I'm sorry about is that half of the office had to go to classes because they thought it worked so well for me. I don't dare tell them now.

Re: Leaky hidden rivet problem.

sschefer said:

You're welcome, I love your quote... I once was told to take anger management classes. I bought a boat instead. As long as I have a boat to work on, the work stuff seems simple. The only part I'm sorry about is that half of the office had to go to classes because they thought it worked so well for me. I don't dare tell them now.

Click to expand...

I wish I could take credit for it but 4 or 5 of us "boat owner/fisherman" were wining about the cost of everything and my partner (who does not own a boat piped up and said "therapy would cost lots more." We shut up, shrugged our shoulders, walked away smiling." That was 15 years ago and I don't think I've stopped grinning about it since.

I removed most of my equipment under the front deck and can't find a way under that inside cap yet. Plan B tomorrow is to remove the speakers under my console and see if the cap stops there. I got about 2" of room before the live well and I've got new (a little larger) speakers to install anyway.

Plan C is to drill a hole in the top of the cap and pour the Gluvit in from there. I have all the materials/tools to reinforce the area after I'm done I'm just leaving this plan as a last resort.

The picture is from the stern looking forward and the bulkhead plate (?) is where the front deck starts. Wish me luck..........I'm diving in.