12ft jon boat project

[Smokey101]

I picked up an old sears flat bottom jon boat and trailer. the trailer will be used for another project, the boat is very rough, and has holes that need brazed, there are loose rivets that need rebucked or replaced. Lastly, the boat is coated with what appears To be roofing tar very thick in some areas. I bought it for the trailer, but just for the heck of it I thought i'd try to save the boat. My plan is to remove the tar first, then repair the leaks, repaint the boat, then sell it.
I bought an air scraper tool from harbor freight there is a learning curve with this tool but i am happy with the progress so far, the picture of the bottom is about 3 hours work

 

[Stand Up]

I wonder what that is? And I wonder if that was applied because there was a leak?
Keep the progress posted if you don't mind.

 

[Lost But Happy]

Roof tar / undercoating sucks. Sometimes it helps to take a torch to it to heat it up.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

I was going to suggest paint stripper but you seem to be making decent progress. Stripping a boat is a time consuming process

 

[LaqueRatt]

I wonder what that is? And I wonder if that was applied because there was a leak?
Keep the progress posted if you don't mind.

I'm thinking along the same lines. That boat might leak like a sieve when your done. Not telling you what to do, but have you priced the scrap value? That boat would bring $20-30 scrap where I live and in nice shape you'd be hard pressed to get more than $200-400. What's your time worth?

 

[Smokey101]

I'm thinking along the same lines. That boat might leak like a sieve when your done. Not telling you what to do, but have you priced the scrap value? That boat would bring $20-30 scrap where I live and in nice shape you'd be hard pressed to get more than $200-400. What's your time wor

I'm thinking along the same lines. That boat might leak like a sieve when your done. Not telling you what to do, but have you priced the scrap value? That boat would bring $20-30 scrap where I live and in nice shape you'd be hard pressed to get more than $200-400. What's your time worth?

I'm thinking along the same lines. That boat might leak like a sieve when your done. Not telling you what to do, but have you priced the scrap value? That boat would bring $20-30 scrap where I live and in nice shape you'd be hard pressed to get more than $200-400. What's your time worth?

 

[Wayne Roberts]

Many older aluminum boats leak some here and there but that does not make the boat irredeemable. My 70 year old aluminum boat leaks and I have solved the problem with a Clorox bleach bottle cut at an angle to make a handy baler! She still catches fish and runs along with the big $$$ boys. Coming in I pull the drain plug and let the water siphon out as I motor back to the boat ramp arriving all nice and drained out. Remember.........it's an old boat so expect so minor issues..........least you don't have thousands of $$ poured into it like the "gotta have a new boat crowd"!

 

[airshot]

Many older aluminum boats leak some here and there but that does not make the boat irredeemable. My 70 year old aluminum boat leaks and I have solved the problem with a Clorox bleach bottle cut at an angle to make a handy baler! She still catches fish and runs along with the big $$$ boys. Coming in I pull the drain plug and let the water siphon out as I motor back to the boat ramp arriving all nice and drained out. Remember.........it's an old boat so expect so minor issues..........least you don't have thousands of $$ poured into it like the "gotta have a new boat crowd"!

Then consider the depreciation !! No way could I justify the cost of a new one, if your willing to shop hard and have patience, there are many used, good boats out there.

 

[Wayne Roberts]

Yes sir................but if she is riveted aluminum you won't know it she leaks till you put er in the water but for my use a Clorox baler works just fine...........too many more important issues if life to sweat the small stuff like a lil water round your toes.........)

 

[thill]

Many older aluminum boats leak some here and there but that does not make the boat irredeemable. ...Remember.........it's an old boat so expect so minor issues..........least you don't have thousands of $$ poured into it like the "gotta have a new boat crowd"!

This is good advice, as long as the leaks aren't huge. Try to find them if you can, especially if you are in salt water.

I had a nice Tracker that would have about a gallon of water in it after a day of fishing. Nothing obvious, it was coming from somewhere under the floor. Not worth tearing the boat apart to find it.

The owner told me about it, and I didn't care much, and I told the next guy who I sold it to, who was an older fellow. He called me later and said he smeared a film of silicone around all the rivets on the bottom and no more leaks. Good for him! He got a nice boat for a good price.

I once was selling an old aluminum boat. Two young guys came to buy it. We took it out, and it ran great, as usual. At the end of the trip, there was a cup or two of water in the back of the boat. The guys, friend started hyperventilating, and was like, "Oh my GAWD!!! This boat leaks!!!! RUN!!!" Rather dramatic, and actually comical. I thought he was joking at first, but he wasn't. He'd done his "online research."

The buyer asked about it, and I told him that I sometimes see that on long days, but usually not. Could be rain water or it could be a very small leak somewhere, I didn't know. He passed on buying the boat, which was fine.

A little annoyed that I had wasted a couple of hours with these guys, I decided to look for the leak. It turns out, a rivet had popped out above the waterline (it was a black boat, so hard to see) It let a squirt of water in when splashed a certain way or if several people were in the boat. Replaced the rivet and she was bone dry after that. I sold the boat to the next buyer for full price.

Finding leaks is best, but if minor, it's NOT worth ripping a boat all apart, unless you just want a project to pass the time.

 

[airshot]

Yes sir................but if she is riveted aluminum you won't know it she leaks till you put er in the water but for my use a Clorox baler works just fine...........too many more important issues if life to sweat the small stuff like a lil water round your toes.........)

Not necessarily, having owned numerous aluminum boats over 60 years of boat ownership, yes most have leaked....a little....some, not enough to worry about, some needed some tlc to slow the leaks and now....my current 1992 Sylvan 26' does not nor has it ever leaked a single drop !!
You can pull the drain plug and it is dry as toast, only the metal chips left over from initial mfgr is all that is in there. Yes this boat gets used on big water, Lake Erie in Ohio and Michigan. Never abused but handles chop well, but never a leak...knock on wood !...... Probably should't have said this !!

 

[Wayne Roberts]

Not necessarily, having owned numerous aluminum boats over 60 years of boat ownership, yes most have leaked....a little....some, not enough to worry about, some needed some tlc to slow the leaks and now....my current 1992 Sylvan 26' does not nor has it ever leaked a single drop !!
You can pull the drain plug and it is dry as toast, only the metal chips left over from initial mfgr is all that is in there. Yes this boat gets used on big water, Lake Erie in Ohio and Michigan. Never abused but handles chop well, but never a leak...knock on wood !...... Probably should't have said this !!

That's awesome.............your correct..........once in a blue moon you get one that is water tight. My brother uses a 1955 Alumacraft 14 footer and his dry. On the other hand my 3 Alumacraft's (1950, 1952 and 1968) all leak a little and none of them are dented or damaged. That old sealant between the seams just dries out and shrinks I guess.

 

[Wayne Roberts]

This is good advice, as long as the leaks aren't huge. Try to find them if you can, especially if you are in salt water.

I had a nice Tracker that would have about a gallon of water in it after a day of fishing. Nothing obvious, it was coming from somewhere under the floor. Not worth tearing the boat apart to find it.

The owner told me about it, and I didn't care much, and I told the next guy who I sold it to, who was an older fellow. He called me later and said he smeared a film of silicone around all the rivets on the bottom and no more leaks. Good for him! He got a nice boat for a good price.

I once was selling an old aluminum boat. Two young guys came to buy it. We took it out, and it ran great, as usual. At the end of the trip, there was a cup or two of water in the back of the boat. The guys, friend started hyperventilating, and was like, "Oh my GAWD!!! This boat leaks!!!! RUN!!!" Rather dramatic, and actually comical. I thought he was joking at first, but he wasn't. He'd done his "online research."

The buyer asked about it, and I told him that I sometimes see that on long days, but usually not. Could be rain water or it could be a very small leak somewhere, I didn't know. He passed on buying the boat, which was fine.

A little annoyed that I had wasted a couple of hours with these guys, I decided to look for the leak. It turns out, a rivet had popped out above the waterline (it was a black boat, so hard to see) It let a squirt of water in when splashed a certain way or if several people were in the boat. Replaced the rivet and she was bone dry after that. I sold the boat to the next buyer for full price.

Finding leaks is best, but if minor, it's NOT worth ripping a boat all apart, unless you just want a project to pass the time.

I agree...........well said on all accounts.

 

[Smokey101]

Well I have very little in this boat, after I finish scraping the tar off, i'll fix the leaks right, paint it up pretty, throw one of my old motors on it. Then use it a few times and sell it.
That sounds better to me than scrapping it for $30 dollars

 

[KevinWI]

had a small sears jon boat when I was a kid....Dad and I would float down the river each year to catch smallmouth bass...fun boat but so dangerous.....very cautious standing up in it and that was when I was a young teenager with good balance ..... 45 years later I wouldn't dare! ha. Have fun on the project and be CAREFUL!