Leaky Boat

[fish_hunt_guy]

I have a 16 foot 1979 bluefin that was a hand me down from my grandpa. Anyways ive fixed it up but it leaks a little. Basically around the rivet holes. Ive set a little pump in the back to pump the water out, but was wondering if theres a way I could stop or at least slow down the leak? Is there a water seal spray I could spray on the bottom of the boat? Would that affect how the boat rides? or anything else I could do? Thanks for any help!

[BoxMN]

Get this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200449128_200449128 anduse your or a buddy's air chisel/hammer and tighten up the leaky rivets. Just need access to both sides, put a sledge hammer head, or other heavy thing, on the flat side (inside the hull - "back it" and hold it tight and firm), and the tool (in link above, or image below) on the round side (outside of the hull), and give it a quick rap-rap-rap of the trigger. But not too much, you don't want to squish the back side, just tighten it a bit.

Then you will be all tight and just like new. This is the only real way to fix those leaks. JB weld, or silicone or any other ting like that is a poor way to even try. Trust me I tried that too

Good luck.

edit - including an image in case the powers delete the link...

[leechlake]

Flex Seal? It's the stuff they offer on TV that seals almost anything, including in the commercial a screen they fitted on the bottom of a boat and then sprayed the screen with Flex Seal and it kept the water out.

I used it on the pan of a wall fountain we have in our dining room. I accidentally drove some screws below the water line and the thing leaked bad. I sprayed flex seal on it three years ago and it doesn't leak a drop.

You could spray the rivets with this and see if it works. Shouldn't effect boat performance a bit. If it doesn't work you're out ten bucks and since it's under the boat nobody will ever notice it. If the rivets come up the side I believe they have a clear spray instead of black.

Obviously this idea is Gerry Rigging 101 but if it happens to work you're golden.

[fivebucks]

I had a couple of slower leaks in a 1960 Starcraft runabout that I could not access the boat side of the rivets on. I used JB weld about 4 years ago and it is working. I did have to touch it up once shortly after I put it on. This boat only gets out a dozen times a year for sunset cruises at the cabin so it does not get used hard at all.