Repair the most common problems with aluminum boats and canoes: leaking seams and rivets in aluminum boats with the Aluminum Boat Repair Kit. Each kit includes 8 ounces (650 Toughened Epoxy), adhesive filler, application and mixing syringes as well as reusable mixing sticks and mixing pots. Protective gloves are also included. Instructions are provided with detailed illustrations that show how to fix leaking seams or rivets in aluminum boats. All components come in a durable, resealable packaging.
650-K Aluminum Boat Repair Kit, 1 kit
650-K Aluminum Boat Repair Kit Instructions (pdf)
650 G/flex Resin Safety Data (pdf)
650 G/flex Hardener Safety Data (pdf)
406 Colloidal Silica Safety Data (pdf)
Visit thegoneapp.com for more information on repairing aluminum boats including patching holes, sealing leaky rivets, replacing transoms, attaching gear, replacing floors and more.
Fix leaking rivets with the 650-K Aluminum Boat Repair Kit
Finding the leaks
The first step is to find the leak. This is fairly easy—just fill the inside with water up to the waterline. I tilted the boat to reduce distortion and destruction. I only filled one side of the boat at a time, as overfilling could have caused more damage to the seams.
There were many rivets on every boat that I repaired that only sawpt water. But, I did find at least one rivet that was leaking water in a steady stream. These leaks were more serious than the ones that are common during normal boat use. To help with bailing, one boat even had a bilge pump. I marked any seams or rivets that were leaking with a black pen.
Making the repair
With the leaks identified and marked, here are the techniques used for the repair. Turn the boat over to get to the bottom. Prepare the surface for bonding. Clean out any debris or other obstructions that may be present in the seams. I used a wire brush to remove any debris from the rivets. It was even easier to use a wire brush attachment on a cordless drilling machine. Once everything is cleaned up and scrubbed, gather the necessary materials: a handheld propane torch and heat gun, a heat lamp, an 804 Syringe, papers towels and G/flex650 Epoxy.
Combine the G/flex® 650 Resin with Hardener and then fill the syringe. I cut the tip of the syringe to enlarge the hole to about 1 16″. Heat the repair area with a propane torch (a heat gun will work) up to 180-220°F to dry out the repair area. Heat drives moisture out of seams and thins the G/flex. This allows it to flow better into seams and rivets.
