[biophoton]

Hey Y'all,

I'm looking for advice on what to put in the holes to seal them after I take a fishfinder transducer mount off of my Alumacraft Yukon. It's going to leave some holes where it was drilled in and they are below the waterline.

I want to permanently seal these holes. It will be hard to access this area when the new electronics are put on, so I want something tough and durable.

I'm going to put a transducer plate over this area to put my new electronics on so I can upgrade more easily and not be drilling holes in my boat.


I used JB weld on my old skiff but it needed to be replace every 4-5 years, it got brittle in some spots.

Thanks! Figured I ask the experienced watermen before calling Alumacraft.

 

[Brenardo]

5200 should work.

 

[Neilslure]

Put the bolts back in and seal.

 

[crappie89]

Ditto on the 5200.

 

[biophoton]

I'll check that 5200.

Neil-I'm putting a transom plate I got from Cabelas over the area. Looks like a extra thick plastic cutting board and the idea is put that thing on and then just drill into the plastic plate to add or remove units (so maybe upgrading or adding a SI unit later would be easy)....will putting the bolts back in work for this? I'm guessing drill some spacing holes on the other side?

Thanks for the input Y'all. Appreciated.

 

[Drum Runner]

You want it permanant? TIG it. Anything else is semi permanent in comparison.

 

[mikeski]

TIG for permanent seal for sure.

If the new plate will cover the existing holes you could get away with 5200 or JB. When installing the new plate you can put sealant around the holes for a better seal.

mikeski

 

[biophoton]

TIG ....Talked to a guy today about welding it...said he'd want to put a small plate on the front and back...Getting inside the floor right there would be super pain and prob to much hassle.

Anybody have ideas on that? be nice to have it close to flat so the transom plate goes on easy and is flush to the bottom contours.

and thanks.

 

[sundrop]

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/patch-holes-in-aluminum-boats-with-g-flex-epoxy/

 

[Drum Runner]

I'll check that 5200.

Neil-I'm putting a transom plate I got from Cabelas over the area. Looks like a extra thick plastic cutting board and the idea is put that thing on and then just drill into the plastic plate to add or remove units (so maybe upgrading or adding a SI unit later would be easy)....will putting the bolts back in work for this? I'm guessing drill some spacing holes on the other side?

Thanks for the input Y'all. Appreciated.

If i had to plate it, I would go ahead and put a nice thick aluminum plate on the outside. One big enough to mount your Cabelas rail on. If you do it right, there would be no holes needed through the transom. Just through hole the plate or drill and tap it.

 

[biophoton]

Thanks Fellas...Ill be looking into those ideas. report back when I know more. Starting to seem like a good month for projects...wish these icebergs would leave!

 

[sundrop]

Better hurry up and get it done. Its about to bust wide open as soon as this time change hits March 8th! It's all looking up from here!

 

[biophoton]

Better hurry up and get it done. Its about to bust wide open as soon as this time change hits March 8th! It's all looking up from here!

I know, I know...no good excuse either as all this crappy weather has been keeping me off the stripers the last few weeks so...I'm burning to go. My fish journal really starts cooking with gas in March. White Bass run starts around 3rd week of March...crazy good fun, on dink rods and cheap baits, lots of folks in the boat laughin...great way to Welcome SPRING FISHING.


Interesting enough...I've spent the last year since May primarily without a fishfinder on my boat...and did really well. Not saying I'd pass one up but...it helps make you extra observant....of every little ripple on the water and wind direction to see bait. Only time it actually sucked was on Kerr in the winter when it was a tough bite or I wanted to jig on striper schools. So I picked up a hummingbird 581i DI, should be fun.


Yeah...so...can't wait for the DI, LOL. Probably take a crack at it next weekend and start fitting up that transom saver plate. Gotta burr out some recesses, take out the old Garmin FF, start wiring...

I'll report on progress, TIG is taking some time.

 

[Mechanic Bob]

TIG can be tricky too as those back corners, nooks and crannies, hold a lot of dirt and debris making for a bad weld. I would go with a 5200. Worst comes to worst, a few drops leak in. Would you get more water in the boat after bringing in one fish.
I too am waiting on the weather to turn. This Sunday morning, 15mpg gusts and light rain. Boat was rigged to the truck, but wind and rain, I'll pass for a better day. If it had not been raining, okay, but both!

 

[HotSoup]

Post a pic please

 

[biophoton]

Post a pic please

Good point, of course, been thinking that but boat is sitting backed into the barn with all this weather, I'll get one up asap this week.

 

[Drum Runner]

TIG can be tricky too as those back corners, nooks and crannies, hold a lot of dirt and debris making for a bad weld. I would go with a 5200. Worst comes to worst, a few drops leak in. Would you get more water in the boat after bringing in one fish.
I too am waiting on the weather to turn. This Sunday morning, 15mpg gusts and light rain. Boat was rigged to the truck, but wind and rain, I'll pass for a better day. If it had not been raining, okay, but both!

I'm a huge fan of 5200. Having said that, I don't recommend 5200 as strong as it is for below the water line repair because it's not a solid material like the hull is. It is also not UV protected so it will degrade in time. Below waterline repairs should always be permanent repairs, not patch repairs. It maintains boat value, hull integrity, and eliminates any future safety issues that may arise from a patch job.

But hey, that's just the way I roll. If I can't fix something, I don't touch it.
A good welder can weld it without alot of difficulty.

 

[Mechanic Bob]

I agree with you DR.
I had an Aluminum boat that got real bad pitting from the saltwater and pressure treated lumber causing corrosion. But the hull was filled with foam, so I did the following. Cleaned the exterior, filled the pits with epoxy, overlaid aluminum panels glued down, riveted the panels, filled the rivets with epoxy, covered all with Glu-vit. Painted it just to make it look nice.