Fixing Aluminum Canoe

[PILOON]

I'd pound out the dent with a soft faced hammer and then pop rivet a parch with perhaps a thin rubber 'gasket' between the patch and the canoe.
Alternately I'd be tempted to use windshield adhesive to 'glue' the patch in place along with some rivets.

But then I have repaired many aircraft panels as well as floats so I have some experience in this area.
Were it an aircraft float I'd be using a zink chromate paste to seal and bond that patch but IMHO windshield adhesive would be excellent for a canoe.

 

[opie1988]

Alumaloy Official Home watch the videos, I have used this on an engine head and worked great

 

[check]

Great suggestions, guys - will be checking them all out further!:thumbsup:

 

[TimberHole]

Go to the airport and find a local aircraft home builder. They could river a patch on it using a sealer in nothing flat. Probably wouldn't charge much either.

 

[PILOON]

Another tactic that would work is to use a caulking product called FLEXTRA* which is a polyurethane based product.

Simply smear some onto a suitable sized patch plate and press the patch plate over the wounded part.
I guarantee U that 24-48 hrs later you can not pry off that patch. (OK a chisel will do so)

Box stores sell FLEXTRA in caulking gun sized tubes for about $5.00 +/- per tube.

*very similar to windshield adhesive.

 

[comancheflight]

How about flex tape as seen on TV..just saw your boat in half and repair it with flex tape....yeeedawgies

 

[sixdogs]

I see a lot of aluminum TIG welded around here so if I guy was set up for TIG it wouldn't be that difficult.

 

[coherent]

I've tried the aluminum rods you can use with a propane torch for a boat repair. I used mapp gas. Unless it's something small. You'll never get a large area like a crack or repair on a canoe hot enough. Maybe with a A/O torch. I've tig welded aluminum nearly as thin as soda cans. It shouldn't be an issue or very expensive, especially if you can find someone in your area that has a tig setup and welds at home as a hobby etc. If you were in Arizona, I'd help you out. Worst I'd do is ruin it and you'd have to patch and epoxy it anyway..lol

 

[LD1]

I've tried the aluminum rods you can use with a propane torch for a boat repair. I used mapp gas. Unless it's something small. You'll never get a large area like a crack or repair on a canoe hot enough. Maybe with a A/O torch. I've tig welded aluminum nearly as thin as soda cans. It shouldn't be an issue or very expensive, especially if you can find someone in your area that has a tig setup and welds at home as a hobby etc. If you were in Arizona, I'd help you out. Worst I'd do is ruin it and you'd have to patch and epoxy it anyway..lol

Yes, finding someone that does it for a hobby or works for beer money should be rather cheap.

But taking to a shop.....with the cleaning, grinding and straightening....then welding the crack, then likely forming a patch over it and welding on as well....

Probably a solid $300 since you looking at 2-4 hours

 

[dickfoster]

Agreed! The skin of the wings of a Tomahawk cruise missile are glued to the structure - no rivets. They designed this over 40 years ago and it is still holding. Adhesives done right are amazing.

A scab patch with rivets as Gary mentioned would be the way to go on this one - not pretty but low cost and functional.

Lots of airplane wings are bonded or in other words glued. I'm surprised no one mentions that Flex Seal tape. That silly guy on TV cuts his aluminum boat in half then just tapes it back together maybe 50 times every day.

 

[4get gto]

How about flex tape as seen on TV..just saw your boat in half and repair it with flex tape....yeeedawgies

Beat me to it. I'd love to fix that guys boat with that crap and push him back on the lake with no oars.

 

[sixdogs]

A tech school is another option. They love to teach TIG on aluminum and yours is a natural project since they can't screw it up. Likely they would do a great job for the school equivalent of beer money.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I bought a roll of that Flextape and I wouldn't trust it for a boat repair. I thought it would be much thicker than a sheet of paper but it isn't.

 

[aczlan]

I would use rivets ( not pop rivets) and something along the line of the pl30 roof and flashing sealant. That stuff is pretty sticky by itself and if you use it along with single piece rivets ( the type that you have to hit from one side while you hold an anvil against the other), I doubt it will leak.

Aaron Z

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I like fiberglass. Patch inside and outside. Use woven fiberglass patch material. Bring some duct tape along canoeing. Great for emergency patches. I kayaked a lot. This was a standard to bring along.

I don't think I'd trust a fiberglass bond to aluminum.

 

[dragoneggs]

I would for this... if the aluminum is prepped properly the epoxy will adhere nicely. The glass fiber is the reinforcement to give it tensile strength. The most beautiful expensive yachts are fiberglass epoxy construction.

 

[Leejohn]

How about flex tape as seen on TV..just saw your boat in half and repair it with flex tape....yeeedawgies

When you see sparks fling from aluminum boat when cutting it in half, you better not believe any part of the BS.

 

[Cat_Driver]

When you see sparks fling from aluminum boat when cutting it in half, you better not believe any part of the BS.

One word - LIABILITY. Do not repair this yourself, as you ill be liable if anything happens and people/renters get hurt. Spend the money and get it done right or sell it for scrap aluminum and buy a new one. Nough said.