Dents out of an aluminum boat???

[duncan20]

I have been looking to purchase a newer boat for the past year. I have found on I really like but it has a large dent in the side (see attached picture). Does anyone know if these dents are repairable? If so, anyone have a ballpark estimate of how much it would cost to get done at a body shop? Thanks for all your help!!

 

[captain zac]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

I would contact a local body shop
they might be able to use the dri ice method
it works on metal cars

 

[The Woo Woo Kid]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

That's very sizable....wonder what they hit ?

Hard Water ?

:lol:

 

[Grandad]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

I agree with captain zac, it looks bad enough that you'll need specialized equipment that only places such as a body shop will have. I'm not familiar with the dry ice method. It looks to me that they'll have to put the boat into a "bulldozer" (I think that's the nick-name) and use hydraulics to press this back into some semblance of the original shape. Maybe then some fillers and a paint job. One thing's for sure, it will not look as good as new when you're done. - Grandad

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

Dry ice works great on hail dents. That's more than a hail dent. What about the messed up trailer? Hard to give a ballpark guess based on two pics of the outside, what about the inside?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

I have been looking to purchase a newer boat for the past year. I have found on I really like but it has a large dent in the side (see attached picture). Does anyone know if these dents are repairable? If so, anyone have a ballpark estimate of how much it would cost to get done at a body shop? Thanks for all your help!!

Ayuh,.... It's repairable, But I kinda doubt most Body Shops would touch it,...

Bendin' Aluminum ain't like bendin' steel,...

It can be Beat out, 'n the resultin' cracks welded,...

Yer not gonna get it fixed as in Not Visible, as it'll be an eye sore to some,...

It's caved in, right in a chine,...
It's gonna take Alota beatin', 'n alota annealin' to get it near Right,...

 

[duncan20]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

Thank you all for the advice. I am going to contact a local body shop and see what they think. Thanks again.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

Thats a welded hull by the looks of it.
THere is a support skeleton inside, that is likely damaged.
The boat interior will likely need to come out, so expect a huge bill for labor, and materials, and don't expect the shop to give you a warranty for the work.

Looks like someone backed into it and the trailer.
I suspect they were paid out handsomely from their insurance company, and decided it would be too much work and cost too much to repair it.

It may also be difficult to even find a shop willing to take it on.


I would keep looking.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

I agree with Roscoe. I would be concerned with the inner structure. That hull would have to be taken COMPLETELY apart to repair. There is foam inside along with bracing and once the bracing is creased and compromised.....it needs replacement.

I would walk away and keep shopping.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

Thats a parts boat.

 

[airshot]

Re: Dents out of an aluminum boat???

From my many years around aluminium boats I have always found the alum skin on boats is tempered and made to hold a shape. If impacted it will dent but cannot be bent back without cracking, sort of a one time bend thing. There have been some cases of heating the skin to remove the temper so it can be bent back but this leaves the surface weak and without the tempering it will be quite easy to damage that surface again. You might talk to the manufacturer and see what they say, but if even possible without being detrimental to hull integrity its gonna be expensive............