leaking boat

[nitrotmaxx]

I have a 14ft. boat that has a crack in the bow. It was welded before i got and it just started to leak. I then tryed to put some JB weld on it but it cracked. Does anybody have any good ideas of how I could fix it? any help would be appreciated.

[Fisher Dave]

It was welded .. so I assume this is aluminum.

someone might not have done a good enough job the 1st time.. I would take it to a certified welder in aluminum. If its in a place where strength is not that much of an issue, or very prone to abbrasion.. I would just use Goop.. that stuff is very good and sticks to about anything as long as its clean.. it will also allow for a little flex without breaking.

There are other aluminum products out there.. I just know the goop works, and I have had mixed results with other products.

[nitrotmaxx]

anybody else have any ideas

[Slyster]

Clear marine silicone glue from any hardware store! That stuff is amazing.. lasts for years yet remains flexible so you can rip it off when you need to. Bonds very well to aluminum... and costs like $3.00 for a tube!

[TBone1]

Get it welded again. I'm sure there are some shops in your area. There is a fab shop in Victoria that does a good job,and they are not overly expensive. Welding will probably hold up better than any glue or goop.

[mechanictim]

You might want to look for any missing or broken structural elements. Is there any thing in the boat that may be stressing the area that cracked such as a trolling motor battery or anchor? If the hull is cracked there is usually a reason for it. If the area of the crack is in a place that needs to flex a little you might want to try a patch over the area and blind rivet it on, welds on sheet aluminun don't flex very welll and will eventually recrack.

[Steve Bakken]

You didn't happen to specify exactly where on the bow the weld was. Most of the damage we've repaired on the bows of aluminum boats are right on the keel itself. If this is the case, the leak will be coming from the gasket underneath. This is very common. If that's the case, then all the welding in the world won't fix the leak. You'll need to repair it from inside the boat.