Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Hi, I just bought a new 16' fisher bass boat 1987, its really nice but when I took it out today for the first time it leaked pretty good, probably up to a gallon an hour! I should have known when the owner told me it had a new bilge pump!! The pump works so I wasn't too worried today, but this is something that needs to be fixed; how?? This is an aluminum boat and all of the rivets seem tight enough, it has to be something major to leak that much, but I see nothing, how can I test this and how do people stop leaks on aluminum boats, thanks. please HELP

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Put it on a trailer, makes sure the bottom is dry, and fill her up with water (not all the way of course) the leak will show underneath.

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

A method that I 've heard of is to remove any carpet, put it up on the trailer, and put water in it. The leak will be easy to trace as she sits in the driveway.You obviously don't need to fill it right up and if it already has water leaking in.. getting it wet shouldn't hurt.<br />If it "Leaks like Heck" you will find the leak, and there are quite a few remedies that you will find on this informative site to plug it. <br /><br />Oops SS Minnow was typing reply at same time.. Great brains think alike...

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Do a search on "leaky rivets". Lots of smart people on here have given good ideas that work well....

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

When you find the leak(s) 3M 5200 will seal them.

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

or just paint the inside of the boat with Gluvit, and any rivets leaking will be sealed, and any rivets considering mutiny will BE sealed<br /><br />All done!<br /><br />

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Before you start stressing over rivets, check all through bolts that are below waterline, like bolts that hold the motor on. Check everything that is bolted on, check any livewell fittings and hoses, all of it. Check the drainplug itself, it could be defective or just not tight enough. Check the bilge pump hose outlet, is it in an area where spray could be going in, water will flow in as easy as it is pumped out. Always check the simple stuff first.

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Thanks for the replies, Im gonna fill it with water today; I cant paint the inside cause the aluminum deck is welded on, so Ill have to patch from the outside; The plug is new, Ill have to check all of the fittings today also; The bilge outlet idea is interesting, because at full throttle if you make a turn it will go underwater, but I thought that they would have like a uni directional hose to only allow water out!? But there is obviously other leaks, cause when I was sitting for hours fishing it was leaking and that couldn't be the bilge outlet.

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

The first boat I bought was a 1978 sea nymph FM-161 and first time out I noticed water running down the carpet. Being withing two miles of where I bought it I re-trailered and took it back. Seems whoever prep'd it(or didn't) never checked all the clamps. Also when trying to put into reverse to take back, it would not work. This was at a dealership that sold row boats to cruiser's. <br />To say the least I was a might upset.<br /> To make a long story short, I walked into the dealership and saw the salesman on a catwalk showing a 24 footer and shouted at the top of my lungs, 'Any one want to buy a f___ing boat'. Needless to say I got their attention.<br /> Does your boat have a livewell? If not I, like JasonJ said, check the obvious. Any clamps, hoses etc. will cause water leaks.

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

Be careful when you fill with water. Water weighs about 8 lb per gallon. When you put 100 gallons in this boat you are going to put a lot of stress on your trailer. When I did this the fenders wedged on the tires and all the stress on the hull from the rollers actually dented my hull.<br /><br />Mine ended up being a rivit head pulled up inside the boat. I glopped jb weld all around and the leak is gone. Amazing that a hole so small could generate so much water

Re: Aluminum boat leaks like hell

If you cannot find any leak in hull, check livewells hoses, many times decome loose and let water in boat, even if you don't use the pump. I had many aluminum boats tight as heck, but with bad or leaky livewell hoses. Some MFG used a "quick connect" style which had an o-ring to seal.....well they discontinued to use them right away, guess why....