Leaky Rivets?

[shmavistime]

Hey guys, I just got a new (to me) 12 foot aluminum boat. Besides the crappy benches and the rotted transform, its pretty nice, except I've noticed that two rivets on the bottom have a very slow leak. I know little about rivets and aluminum boats in general so can anyone give me advice on how to repair this? Can I knock the rivets tighter with a hammer and block? Epoxy/JB weld? Also, if I do encounter any more cracks/leaks, what sort of epoxy can I use to repair them? Any help would be great, I'm new to boats.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Leaky Rivets?

Welcome to iboats, you can find out just about anything you want to know about boats here.

You can try re-bucking the rivets with a hammer and block, sometimes that works. If not, there are a number of things that will seal them, such as 3M 5200 sealant, JB Weld or epoxy putty for the quick & easy route. If you want to go to the work, you can seal all the inside seams with Gluvit (do a search on that and you'll learn all you'll ever want to know about it!). But then you'll have to paint it to protect the Gluvit from the sun's UV.

It all depends on how much effort you want to put into it.

 

[mogfisher]

Re: Leaky Rivets?

I'd try bucking the rivets first and see where that gets you. I helped a buddy with his old jon boat that was leaking like a spaghetti strainer. 15 minutes with a hammer and block helped a lot. Those rivets can loosen up over time as hulls flex.