Jon boat cracks

[Huntin&Fishin]

So i have a 12 ft aluminum jon boat with a couple 3 inch cracks. Is there a cheap way of sealing it good besides silicone? Or should i bring it to a welding shop? thanks for the input

[Gordie]

Do not use silicone it will only cost you more in the long run if you get it welded cause its a PITA to clean that stuff off before you weld it.

Welding would be the ideal thing but I'm sure it will not be a cheap fix.

If you do not get it welded I would use JB weld I have this on my boat now and it not leaked it two years.

I used to do allot of welding and I would have welded it but I need it fixed fast as I was hunting NoDak in a couple of days. Its held so good I haven't seen the need to weld it yet.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness when it comes to aluminum welding or patching so clean it up really good if you are going to use JB on it.

I make sure I get all of the paint removed and then with a Stainless steel wire brush I clean all the oxidation off the area then wipe down with Isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) or brake cleaner . something that will not leave a petroleum residue.

The worst thing about useing a patching compound is if you ever have to have it welded the clean up takes morre time and will end up costing you more in the long run.

It also depends on where the crack is and how bad they are which will ultimately decide on the fix.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Thanks for the response, do you have any idea on how much it would cost to weld 4, 4 inch cracks? you can buy a jon boat for 250 and i dont want to spend an arm and a leg on just the welding when i still need to add oar locks and paint it. Thanks for any responses, also if there is any good recomadations to a welding shop near Rogers thanks!

[Gordie]

I'm guessing around a hundred dollars and I would go to crystal welding off of 81 east of town.

If I still had my tig welder I would do it for ya. sorry.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Thanks, i was gona check them out tomorow after work, appriciate the help Gordie!

[aanderud]

Thanks, i was gona check them out tomorow after work, appriciate the help Gordie!

It's a long haul from your place but there's a dude down in Shakopee that welds stuff uber-cheap. I think it's something like B&W Metal Works. Had him fabricate me a couple parts for a snowmobile trailer, and it was almost free. I'd be willing to bet he'd hook you up for under 50 bucks if you had the paint cleaned off and the locations ready to weld when you took it in. He will talk your ear off, so be sure to have a solid hour if you go there :-)

[Bowfin]

I'd get it welded but take a look at what they say flex seal can do. I probably wouldn't try for significant cracks.

www get flex seal dot com

[Fins-n-feathers]

+1 on the flex seal - going to try it on my duck boat this year.

[Gordie]

+1 on the flex seal - going to try it on my duck boat this year.

I think flex seal is hunting for boat owners

[mallardnwalleye]

Get it welded. I patched a spot on the old jon boat where the transom meets the bottom hull. All I can say is at 5:30 am as I got to the catail bog island I had 2 inches of water in the bottom of the boat.I Didn't panic and put out only a couple dozen dekes out and figured I may as well hunt as I pulled the 1436 LW up on the bog. Shot 4 and figured at 9:00am it was time to head out. Took the motor off, left the dekes and polled from the front end bacck to the landing and loaded said POS jon boat in the back of the truck then headed home and grabed the v-hull to pick up the dekes and 68 evinrude that was submerged in the bog.

Long story long - get it welded by the cheap welder aanderud mentioned. You won't have a real problem and you will always have a character that will talk your ear off (a good thing in these sterile-scripted purchasing interactions of today).

[wkngmomof2]

We have a 16' Aluminum Crestliner (1977) that had a crack and leaky rivets, we picked up the green Aluminum Boat patches from a major hunting fishing store and they work GREAT! Easy to apply.....

Just search for "Aluminum Boat patch" on their HSOforum, I would say the name but have been warned about doing so, PM me if you can't figure it out.

[4Cody4]

Depending on where the cracks are, you could just rivet a patch of new aluminum over the crack to preserve the strength. Then you can ensure it seals well using JB Weld. Should serve it's purpose and be plenty strong and cheap.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Depending on where the cracks are, you could just rivet a patch of new aluminum over the crack to preserve the strength. Then you can ensure it seals well using JB Weld. Should serve it's purpose and be plenty strong and cheap.

his is what I ended up doing and my dad has contacts in getting some commercialized metal apoxy that seals up real good, I will try to post picture of the project as soon as possible.

[EBass]

Cool thanks - I have some slow leaks in my boat and was wondering how to go about that. Crystal Welding does good work. I've been there a lot this spring/summer.

[BoxMN]

Depending on where the cracks are, you could just rivet a patch of new aluminum over the crack to preserve the strength. Then you can ensure it seals well using JB Weld. Should serve it's purpose and be plenty strong and cheap.

This is what we did on alum boat with alum too thin to weld. Sandwhiched the crack between two pieces of sheet alum, and used gasket sealer between each layer. Then used real rivets to attach (not pop rivets). Has worked great, going on about 5 or 6 years. Boat gets double duty as fishing and tubing boat in summer too, and ducking in fall.

Make sure to drill out the ends of the crack, so it won't spread farther. Good luck.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Make sure to drill out the ends of the crack, so it won't spread farther. Good luck.

Thanks for the tip!