Fixing aluminum boat with bullet hole in it...

[nicemustang]

Anyone have any suggestions? Picked up a small 12' aluminum for next to nothing (beer goes a long way out here!) but has a bullet hole through the bow, on both sides. It would be below the water line. What to do?? Any suggestions appreciated.

[lifesaflyin]

ask a wielder to put in a patch or redneck patch it with a beer can and below waterline hull cement lol

[chubbdarter]

take another box of beer to a fab shop and let them tig in a patch

or rivet a patch on...all my river sleds carried a patch kit....cheap and reliable

[npauls]

Could also try cutting small piece of tin or aluminum for both sides and JB weld it. That should do the trick.

[Kokanee9]

Where is it now? In the yard, garage? I need to know, to be able to answer your question.

[HunterDave]

When I was in Bosnia all of our pod/refueling trucks had various sized wooden plugs in the toolbox specifically for plugging bullet holes. You hammer the plug in and it swells up when it gets wet..............viola!

For a more permanent, cheap and quick fix here's what I'd use:

http://jbweld.net/products/jbstik.php

[2000victory]

1 carriage bolt,2 pieces of aluminium plate two pieces of rubber and some silicone.
Hammer and dolly to flatten edges of holes.(two hammers)
Drill a hole through the centre of the aluminium plates and the rubber.
Insert bolt through 1 plate and 1 rubber, apply silicone to rubber face, insert through hole, silicone on second rubber and install to boat hull, second metal plate on rubber and tighten down with nut and lockwasher.
Should seal
Repeat on other hole...Done

[James Henry]

I am with 2000Victory on this one

[calgarygringo]

I did something similar on my old aluminum boat as the bolt repair. Works well. Just one thing I would do different is instead of silicone get some 3m 5200 goop to use instead. It is made for water/boat use. I always use it when putting screws in to a boat etc. Will last forever for your boat. Just watch as it can be messy stuff to use if you get it on your hands and is hard to get off. Takes about a week to cure as well but will never leak.

[WayneChristie]

first thing Id do is paint the boat so they dont recognise it and take another shot at you

[alodar]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

first thing Id do is paint the boat so they dont recognise it and take another shot at you

Lol....

[nicemustang]

Good ideas. This should be an easy fix. May 5th here I come, only if the ice gets off now...

[nicemustang]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

first thing Id do is paint the boat so they dont recognise it and take another shot at you

HA! No shooting at me...it was sitting down at the lake over winter and some knob decided to wreck it. Buddy didn't want the bother so he took a 24 of pilsner for it .

[alodar]

Originally Posted by nicemustang

HA! No shooting at me...it was sitting down at the lake over winter and some knob decided to wreck it. Buddy didn't want the bother so he took a 24 of pilsner for it .

Sweet deals

[dewalt18]

If it were my boat, I'd get a welder to take a look at it. I'm assuming the holes to be no bigger than around .30 or so, would be quick and easy to MIG up. Since you're only into it for the cost of a 24, spending a little cash to fix it properly shouldn't be much of an issue. if you clean up the 2 holes ahead of time and do your own clean up on the welds I'd be suprised if any welder would charge you much more than another 2 dozen beer, assuming you take it to him!

[fluxcore]

Originally Posted by nicemustang

Anyone have any suggestions? Picked up a small 12' aluminum for next to nothing (beer goes a long way out here!) but has a bullet hole through the bow, on both sides. It would be below the water line. What to do?? Any suggestions appreciated.

Bring it to Red Deer and Ill have my shop quickly weld it up (5min) and away we go buddy, If you can make the trip so we can head out fishing. My advise would be to find a welding shop and get a quick repair.

[mooseman1]

well for 48 cans i'll take it off your hands . now thats 100% profit for you

[ctd]

Take advantage if it and install two eye hooks for tieing the boat down.

[zgslav]

Epoxy/Aluminum Putty Stick works well

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by nicemustang

HA! No shooting at me...it was sitting down at the lake over winter and some knob decided to wreck it. Buddy didn't want the bother so he took a 24 of pilsner for it .

Nice the guy does you a favour and you poison him!!!

[great white whaler]

hammer an dolly it flat ,,,100 % clear silicone...

[jts1]

LOL you can sure tell you have moved back to Sask when you are buying boats with bullet holes in them. Sounds like a "Hold my beer moment"

[Dust1n]

got top a welder and put a patch on it fill the rest will silicon or epoxy

[bloopbloob]

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

got top a welder and put a patch on it fill the rest will silicon or epoxy

hahaha. WHOOOOOWHAT?!!!!!

[Dust1n]

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

hahaha. WHOOOOOWHAT?!!!!!

sorry get a welder to sheet on a peice of boat over the whole then use silicon and epoxy to fix the rest

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

sorry get a welder to weld on a peice of metel over the whole then use silicon and epoxy to fix the rest

fix the rest?

[bloopbloob]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

fix the rest?

yeah... curious about that myself.... I am a welder, and wouldn't call myself one if I had to silicone a repair job i just did..... kinda defeats the purpose of having it welded!

Anyways, I think jb weld or something along those lines would be totally fine for something like that, i wouldn't pay to have it welded. If it's free, sure get it welded, but not necessary imo.

[great white whaler]

don't want to use a anything that gets to hard, it will crack and peel,,silicone stays flexible,and sticks like **** to a blanket,,,thats why its used in washrooms.