cracked aluminum skin around rivet

[imported_steelshot]

ive been going through this 16'gruman that was a gift 'some corrosian from salt water a few bends in gunnals rusty bolts some ragged transom holes etc .drian tube shot but found replacement on commercial sight right here!have a cracked skin above water line from rivet pulling through in seat area reinforcement area how do i go about repair ?guess a patch of alum solid rivets some sealant?do i stop crack from progressing further under patch?where does one find alum right thickness?i have 1/4 "aircraft rivets and bucking bar and rivet set for air chisel althogh never used yet any tips apreciated dave

 

[JB]

Re: cracked aluminum skin around rivet

I would use aluminum brazing rod and a propane or MAPP torch to fix that, Steelshot. Most good HW stores sell the rod and flux.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: cracked aluminum skin around rivet

You might consider using a small drill and drill a small hole at the end of the crack. That should stop the crack from running any further. I would also all an additional piece of aluminum to help spread the stress of where the old seat pulled out to prevent stressing that area any further.

 

[imported_steelshot]

Re: cracked aluminum skin around rivet

boat is real bad!i started to probe the pitted sidewalls my point dug through about 14 places in a band about 5' long and 3 inches wide right where the water line was both sides. i had that aluma weld stuff and was surprised it worked good so long as you tilted boat on it's gunnals to melt solder and grind down to white metal,so i turned boat over to see whats up and it's got corroded keel edges real ragged around some rivets but the death sentance was a line of christalised aluminum on outside edges of keel and rudders .