Leaky seam

[user 33938]

I have water coming inside where the transom meets the bottom on my 94 sylvan. I bought this boat as a project to transform over the winter but using it as is barebones now. I have full intentions on painting inside and outside. I already went through and air hammered all the rivets to tighten them up but water comes in and goes out of the seam and not the rivets. What sealants have you guys used that are paintable? Thanks

 

[sonny1]

I am plan on using west systems aluminum repair kit 650k for this project. Due to personal health issues it has taken a long time to wire brush the 14 foot lonestar. After all the paint is removed inside and out I plan on taken a propane torch and lightly heat up all the seams. Then wire brush all the seams again inside and out. After all that is completed will position boat and apply 650K and lightly heat the 650k so that it runs down into the seam. The kits are not cheap but after talking to a few local boat shops in the area they say that this will work. Hope they are right. EZ tex 7100 will be used for small dents and rough spots. After all the above is completed plan on priming the entire boat with some primer from total boat along with paint from total boat. Yes the 650k is paintable. The boat was free but the cost of fixing it up is not. Labor of love.

 

[DaleH]

West Systems G-Flex 650 ... it is a flexible epoxy ... I've posted a few tutorials on here on using it on aluminum ...

The MUSTs are ... prep area well beforehand, and paint afterwards.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Take it to a welder.

 

[user 33938]

Take it

I don't think that's a option or worth it to be honest, I don't think you would ever get it clean enough with the sealer that's between the seam with out disassembly.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I don't think that's a option or worth it to be honest, I don't think you would ever get it clean enough with the sealer that's between the seam with out disassembly.

What I think he is describing is not an overlapping seam. To me it seems to be a welded seam where the transom and the floor meet.

 

[sonny1]

He mentioned rivets and seam. Believe it is not welded.

 

[thill]

A pic of the area, inside and out would be helpful. Some of them are a riveted sandwich connection, with sticky sealer tape in between. That would probably need some sort of sealant, if bucking the rivets didn't work.

I've fixed minor ones like that with Loctite Marine Sealant. Scrub it out carefully with purple power and bleach and a wire brush, shop vac the seam until dry. Then spray carb cleaner and a cloth as a final prep, and use the sealer in the joint, pressing it into the seam firmly. Let it dry for 24 hours+, then see if it worked.

If a really bad leak, you really need to see exactly where it's coming in. I would probably add some solid rivets to the area before doing a G-Flex seal as Dale mentions above.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

He mentioned rivets and seam. Believe it is not welded.

I could be completely wrong.
My riveted jon does have some welded seams. Like the one at the bottom of the transom and floor.

 

[dj2r]

Regarding rivitted versus welded, don't mix the two. If the original is rivitted and you try to fix by "welding", you'll end up with a hideous mess. I had good results sealing with Gluvit about 8 years ago on a 14' Alumacraft of about 1965 vintage. Its still holding well. where the rivitted centerline had leaked pretty severely. I had prepped the aluminum with an aluminum cleaner immediately prior to the application of Gluvit and I do mean immediately.

Did I say immediately?

 

[dj2r]

If it is a welded seam, be sure you do a proper aluminum weld (GTAW) and not a braze.