How To Fix Your Leaky Aluminum Boat with solid rivets

Does your aluminum boat leak? How to repair leaky aluminum boat rivets. If your aluminum boat is leaking at the rivets, it is usually the solid rivets that have loosened over time and that is what is causing the leak. Your small boat can be repaired correctly with a few tools and an assistant. Don't just slap on sealant to repair your leaking jon boat - learn how to rebuck the original solid rivets. Solid rivets used in aluminum boats are often brazier head rivets and need a special tool to fit over the rivet head to properly install the rivets in your boat or reseat the leaking rivets in an aluminum boat.

In this video I cover topics like - how to tighten old rivets, the tools I used to repair and replace rivets on my boat, the proper tools to instal solid rivets in an aluminum boat, how aluminum boats are riveted, the types of rivets used for aluminum boats, how to get the proper diameter rivet for your boat and my experience with replacing rivets in a boat.

If you have a Jon Boat that is leaking around the rivets or an old aluminum utility boat that needs some rivets replaced this video shows you the tools you need and the steps involved to replace and reset rivets for a boat. My boat used solid aluminum brazier rivets but every riveted aluminum boat is different. How to do solid rivet repair for leaky aluminum boats. Fixing a leaking aluminum boat that has solid rivets. How to do solid rivet repair for aluminum boats.

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00:00 Introduction
00:25 Why aluminum boats start leaking
01:09 How aluminum boats are riveted - the solid rivets used to make aluminum boats
02:57 The tools I have used to reset solid aluminum rivets on my boat
03:24 Getting the right size solid rivets to repair an aluminum boat
04:08 How to tighten up old and loose solid rivets
04:38 Using sealant around solid rivets
05:20 Why you need an assistant to install solid rivets in an aluminum boat
06:11 The proper tools to install and/or reset solid rivets in a boat
07:13 Why the right size solid rivet is important
09:19 How to easily determine the correct diameter solid rivet you need to buy
10:01 Practice setting rivets on scrap metal before replacing rivets on your aluminum boat
10:42 How to reset rivets without the proper tools

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#rivets #jonboat #aluminumboat

[WayneTheBoatGuy]

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[buddyrevell]

Great job on the video and advice. Before i re-riveted my jon i scoured TBN and multiple youtube videos. You hit all the points across the board. Only thing i would add is sealed pop rivets work amazingly and are much easier to install. Ones i did were tighter than the solid ones i tried to hand buck. However, they are looked down upon by some boat snobs who relish in "proper" rivet technique.

[davidsolecki]

I like that you engage the people that comment. I really enjoy your content. This is something that I fear that I will have to do soon as I have a 16 foot aluminum Tracker with rivets. I fish on salt water in the NJ bays along the Atlantic Ocean and my boat takes a beating. This video helped so much. Thank you for your content...

[TheNockingPoint]

You had me at "at riveting video" 🤣 I hope you are not "Bucking the Trends" in used boat selection. I love your videos!

[anthonyganz]

A terrific video, and super informative! In a follow on video, you might want to overview "pop rivets"!! Last year I needed to attach a fitting to an aluminum mast and had no clue how to attach when the mast inside was "closed" and I could only attach the rivet on the outside (1 - side only!!). After a YouTube and Google scramble, I learned about pop rivets, and they are Rivets are cheap on Amazon, and a rivet gun was $16.00 in the hardware store! I had previously thought only of hot rivets and a furnace and "Rosie the Riveter" on planes and ships.

[SuperWooba]

Awesome! You're fixing the leaks on the 14' aluminum jon boat for the lucky winner! lol

[endo]

Again an informative instructional on the wonderful world of rivets. My carpal has night terrors of shooting and bucking endless rivets on a Chinook in my sheet metal days. If it has to be done, do it once.

[FredMcGee-gndm]

As always Sir, practical easy to understand great information. Thank you.

[All_A_Guy_Needs]

Funny you’ve made this video: I’ve replaced about 500 rivets on my boat. I tried a bunch of stuff. I ended up having the best luck with close end blind pop rivets: they generate the same seal as the ones in your video but can be easily installed with 1 person: I like g flex as well. 5200 is nice but the g flex seems better to me.

[CM-fkmu]

I replaced over 100 in a 1976 crestliner this summer.
I had some of the pop closed on for a while as a bandaid . They are ok but get the right length. Pay attention to the the ends inside can be damaged and start leaking through the middle of the rivet.
I’m a huge fan of PC 11 epoxy now. I put that on the solid rivets where the hole was over sized. Had to fix some stress cracks. Drilled out each end of the crack. Layer of pc11. Then rivet patch over the epoxy.
The transom was also replaced. I moved the wood from outside to the inside. The knee brace wasn’t big enough on the inside. To support the new 4 stroke.
Had to make new braces for the inside.
I rivet in a frame. Side rails put in a deck. Not hard once get the hang of it
12:04 12:04
Painted the whole bottom with goop coat it. The transom as well.

No leaks stronger than ever. Should last another 40 years.

Edit: forgot. Most people don’t tell they is a formula to determine rivet length. If using sold rivets. You can cut them down with a rivet trimmer.

[bartdaw]

Sometimes it isn’t the rivets. If you have ever had an old aluminum boat where the plywood on the transom has rotted many times there will be pinholes in the transom because of moisture being between the plywood and the aluminum. When that happens you clean up the transom and then use JB Weld on the pinholes before you replace the plywood.

[thedevilinthecircuit]

I've always used a buck block that has a shallow recess on the head side of the rivet, and then applied the pneumatic chisel to flatten the stem end.

[gillgetter]

I have the right air tool, and have tightened and replaced many a rivet. Loaned it out many times also. I’ve got a 1992 Sylvan 16’ V bottom multi sport angler boat has ( floors, decks, live well etc.) never had to tighten or replace a This hull is heavy gage I guess, don’t know if sylvan is still around. Lund is another high quality heavy gage aluminum riveted hull.

[stevejones]

At work, we just cut the rivets with side cutters to shorten them if needed. . We have a dimple in our backer block to start the rivets if they are cut to length.

[m.whetstone]

I just weld the hole up solid on both sides. If using a hard Rivet be sure to clean by lightly sanding and clean with Acetone before applying 3M 4200. On the head side. Definitely a two person project

[PapaMav]

Back in spring of 1988, got a bag of rivets from Starcraft, along with the proper hand tool that was the shape of the head of the rivet, to repair some leaks. Was less than successful....Eventually, 12 V hull was left at the recycling yard for 26 cents a pount for the aluminum, circa 1994.

[stevejones]

If rivets are left loose too long, you can drill out to the next size. Any air hammer will work, but the cheaper ones are better because they have a shorter stroke.

[aSportishOne]

Hey Wayne, love your videos. How did you get a concave surface on your modified air chisel? Thanks

[Fish-Erman]

Always drill out the existing hole to the next larger sized rivet, and sand to bare metal on both sides first. Riveting a corroded hole, or over a dirty/oxidized surface, could cause leaks.

[MScott-yg]

It's kinda hard to use the right rivet when use order brasier head and the people amazon uses send you flat head rivets.