Okay, so the grand adventure begins trying to get this boat fish-ready. I don't know if you guys remember, but I was the one looking for a trailer for a $50 fishing boat (still looking for that trailer, if anyone knows of someone wanting to get rid of a small trailer that will fit a 14' aluminum modified Vee fishing boat). Anyway, I cleaned up the boat, and did a careful inspection, and found a few problems: one small abrasion hole (less than 2 mm, I would say) on the bottom. A small crack in the keel (didn't even know these small boats HAD keels), a small crack of the aluminum along the top of the transom (somebody a little rough putting on an outboard?) and two of the structural ribs are cracked on the inside of the boat on the deck. These cracks seem minor and don't seem to impact the structural integrity of the boat. I did a quick search on the web as to how to repair aluminum, and I keep getting hits for these metal alloy rods that don't require a welding torch (
Dura Fix Aluminum Welding Aluminum Brazing Aluminum Soldering & Repair Rod ). anyone have any experience with this stuff? Is it worth the $50 or so to give it a try, or am I asking for trouble?
I haven't actually put the boat in the water yet, as I don't have the registration for the boat (turns out the legal owner of the boat is deceased, so I have to seek to register it as an abandoned vessel ). I suspect when I do, I am going to find some leaks in the seams. Do any of you know how you fix leaks in the seams? I would think it not such a good idea to weld up a seam on a riveted boat. Am I wrong?
Any help or guidance you guys can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Eric V