JB weld?

audiofreak12 · Post by **audiofreak12** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:41 pm

Yesterday i was helping my grandma move and my uncle asked me if i wanted a 1951 duracraft 12 ft john boat. I went down to the pond and got it and now i need some help. It has three or four small-medium cracks in the bottom. It is an aluminum boat and I wondered if i could patch it with JB weld or an aluminum welder. I have access to both but it would be much easier if the JB would work. Thanks for the help.

Fishy · Post by **Fishy** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:15 pm

Jb Weld is a bit brittle and may end up cracking and welding light gauge aluminum can be a bit tricky. Its real easy turn burn a hole in the stuff if you don't know what you're doing.

We always used to use Fasco Steel Flex and paint the whole bottom. It'd seal any leaky rivets or seams and slicken up the bottom giving you a lil more speed. I guess its an older product because I couldn't find it at any of the more popular marine dealers.

I don't know how much money you want to spend but this stuff should work as well:

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/wcs/ ... d=13006242

http://www.marinetex.com/PRODUCT%20PAGE ... d%20in.htm

If you want to go a cheaper route you could try running a bead of 5200 on the inside of the hull:

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/wcs/ ... d=13217976

That stuff will stick to about anything although it might end up pealing off if used on the outside.

Your best bet would be to use the Gluvit on both sides and then fiberglass over the inside part.

-Fishy

audiofreak12 · Post by **audiofreak12** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:39 pm

Do you think you can still buy the fasco steel flex anywhere? That sounds like what would work for me. I dont want to put a whole lot of money into this boat since its so old and stuff. A friend's stepdad is selling a 91 model tracker 16ft john boat with a mercury motor and only wants 150 for it on a trailer, motor dont run but i think it is just a fauled plug, or so he says. I wouldnt mind fixing the other boat though so im open for suggestions.

71buickfreak · Post by **71buickfreak** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:30 pm

yeah, welding it yourself would be tricky, but any good machine shop will have an experienced tig welder who could make short work of it. There are lot of ways to apalachian-engineer a fix (read hillbilly), but a good tig welder and probably not more than $50 would fix it for good so you sink in the middle of the lake!