fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

[muskietracker]

I've got a 06 tracker last year and almost lots her due to a crack in the keel that i didn't know about . it was in the water at the dock for about 30 hours before I came down to the water to find over a foot of water in the bottom of the boat. long story short i took it to a boat welder and she was good for the rest of the summer. while fishing in the french river
I grazed a rock that was under water and not marked not hard but Im noticing water coming in as it did before. Im thinking of fiberglassing the keel this spring in thinking that it should keep the keel water tight as it is at the keel Im not sure if patching it is an option
if anyone has any ideas or can point me in the right direction to go about this would be appreciated thanks .......

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

Welcome to iBoats!

I'm not a Tin Boat expert but, fiberglassing over aluminum is NOT gunna work!!! Post some pics so we can see what you're dealing with. You might be able to fix it with some Thickened Gluvit! (an epoxy product). You might also be able to fabricate an aluminum cover plate to have welded over the damaged section. Again, just speculation on my part. Pics will help us to help you!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

Fiberglassing isn't a good fix on an aluminum boat, and shouldn't even be a consideration.

Here's a good thread on patching an aluminum hull externally:

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/tracker-hull-damage-lots-536250.html

 

[muskietracker]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

ok I have to see if i have any for now It's stored up north from me right now but when the snow melts ill get up there to get some pic just may take till April but before im up there next thank you for taking the time to reply ill keep in touch

 

[muskietracker]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

hey thanks for that thread im going to look threw it more and come up with a plan and get a lot more pics to help paint the picture better for all

 

[classiccat]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

we were playin' metallurgist over in my resto thread recently to repair a worn spray rail. Post #825.

I also have to patch my keel (Major PO trailer neglect) and will be using a similar technique with 0.090" 5052 aluminum.

perhaps that's something that you can try for your busted keel?

 

[Bondo]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

hey thanks for that thread im going to look threw it more and come up with a plan and get a lot more pics to help paint the picture better for all

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... Did ya run over the rock, After it was welded,..??

Have ya crawled under it, 'n studied the Damage at all,..??

Possibly another trip to yer Welder will fix it up again,...
Maybe after he welds up the current damage, he can throw a reinforcing piece on there,....
Kinda a "Rock Bumper" thingy,....

As noted above, fiberglass, 'n tin don't work all that well together,...

 

[Dotti Chuck]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

I do a lot of alu welding, if it?s just cracked it?s usually enough to drill holes at the end of the cracks, cut up the crack with a grinder 2-4mm and weld it. The drill holes will stop the crack. I usually use mig welding for aluminum but sometimes where u can?t grind over the welding I use tig welding.
Sometimes you have to heat up the aluminum with gas torch to get the welding point deep enough in the material.
Glass wont stick to the aluminum, but a skilled welder should be able to fix this for you.
If there is to much oxidation in the material though there is pretty much nothing to do but to replace it or patch it or use Aluminum Putty

 

[muskietracker]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

ya when i bought the boat I found it was leaking and after taking it a few times to my welder it was good in till that rock in the fall.
I will bring it back to him maybe re and re the keel all together it's just welded twice now I'm scared to keep welding that area if I'm making things worse so I was looking for another way of doing it so i found this site but if all else fails I will weld
it again better to fix it right

 

[muskietracker]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

I dont think its crack more then its is where the two halfs meet the keel is bent and I think water is just running down and finding its way in ive been getting some good ideas from everyone and i think i will have to man up and dig back in to the the bottom and fix it inside out again and try and reinforce if i can

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

If indeed it's leaking at the seam and you access from the inside, then Gluvit will be your best fix. Again, I'm a "Glasser" but I did stay at a Holiday Inn one time!!!

 

[Dotti Chuck]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

and stop hitting rocks :joyous:
joke,
but there are ways to find cracks in metal. metal dyes or compressed air w/ leak detect usually work, but both take time.
but I would have to see some pics to tell you what I think.
But as I said I have a lot of experience with working with metals and do a lot of aluminum jobs so I can hopefully be of some assistance

 

[muskietracker]

Re: fixing the keel on a all welded 06 tracker boat

LOL dotti trust me It's not something I was gunning for .... I got off kindA lucky after sliding off the rock i was able to swing the rear end over so at least the prop and lower end was ok but i will get some pic as soon as I can canadian snow problems lol