leaking Tracker rivets

[Guest]

Anyone have experience fixing leaking rivets on an aluminum boat? Have a 1995 18.5 foot Tracker bass boat that leaks enough for water to come up in the floor after a few hours on the water. Fortunately, the bilge pump works good. Called Tracker dealers and wrote the company and got all kinds of advice from hammering the rivets (impossible for me to do) to welding them up (major surgery). I have read advice on various forums that some types of compound -- such as used by gutter installers -- such as 3M sealant -- such auto body epoxy -- etc. -- will fix leaks. Cabelas sells a stick that when heated flows to seal cracks. Big problem I will have after I decide what to use is how to get to the rivets. If I had access to a lift or some way to turn the boat over it should help -- but I don't. If anyone has been through this problem and fixed it I would sure like your advice. Thanks, Charlie

 

[keithcatfish]

I have an Alumacraft with the exact same problem, lots of leaks and no way to turn the boat over and no desire to gut the boat from the inside out.

I suggest you leave the plug in after you pull the boat out of the water so its full of water, park on a level surface and get underneath it with an old towel and dry it off. It will then be easy to determine which rivets or welds are leaking. Mark the leaks with a sharpie marker, then pull the plug and let the boat drain overnight. The next day, smear the leaking rivets/welds with some good silicone sealant.

Most of the water got into my boat through a cracked weld and several leaky rivets. I've reduced the leakage by at least 90% with the aforementioned quick, cheap repair. I take extra care getting the boat onto the trailer so I don't scrape off any silicon. I suspect I'll have to replace the silicon on a few rivets occasionally because they contact the bunks on the trailer.

 

[Guest]

I have fixed leaking rivets for years on all of the flat bottom boats I have owned, it is pretty easy to fix them if you know what you are doing. You need to be able to get to both sides of a rivet to fix it, you don't need to turn the boat upside down. Put about 4 or 5 inches of water in the boat on the trailer, crawl under the boat and mark all the leaking rivets with a sharpie, put a steel dolly bar on the rivet inside and use an air rivet gun on the outside to gently reseat the rivets, this can be done with the water in the boat and you can see instantly if you stopped the leak.if a rivet is missing, put a new one in the hole and drive it down with the rivet gun, if you have a damaged rivet, drill thru the center with a 3/16" bit and remove and replace it.

 

[minner]

I tell you what I would do. I'd take that piece of junk back to the low down sorry son of gun that sold it to me. I'd be ashamed of myself for selling such a thing to such an innocent salt as yourself.

Or you can just get an automatic bilge pump instead and skip the whole works.

 

[minner]

By the way, I've fished an hour or two out of an identical boat to that one.emoPoke

 

[bassnbug]

marine epoxy, i just sealed about a dozen leakers on my flatbottom. just mix it per instructions and use a popcicle stick and spread over the rivot, 24 hr drying time and your done. available at wallyworld

 

[Aries 181]

I use JB Weld on my Tracker when I find a leaking rivet.

HTH,
Bill

 

[charlie]

Minner, we must be kind to the previous owner. I knew it leaked and had fished out of it with him. My 1966 Norriscraft with 50 Merc was about dead and I needed a better rig. Besides, I really like the Tracker's two live wells because I catch so many fish. I appreciate the advice received here and will fix or at least improve the leaking problem. Or, I could get the auto bilge as you suggest. Or, maybe I should trade it in on a new Ranger. Good fishing to all, Charlie

 

[CherokeeRidge]

Some of my friends in East Tennessee that fish the rivers take their boats to Line-X (the bedliner people) I understand it's kinda pricey but it works . I have an old Gruman boat and have had that problem for years . I just keep it pumped out and keep on fishing. emoAngler