mainjet
Active member
Hello everybody. I have been lurking on the site for a few days looking at some very well done boat projects and reading some good advice to others. So now it's my turn. LOL
I bought a boat on a whim. I am new to boats and to the best of my knowledge this boat is about a '67 Alumacraft 14'. The previous registration says it's a '75 but the lady I bought it from had it when she was a kid and she is now retired. I also took off a registration sticker from 1968 so I think that I am in the range.
I asked the guy if it had any leaks and he said they had patched some but "no, it doesn't leak". Weeeell, I guess that was my first mistake. I was not specific enough... I should have said "does it leak when it's IN the WATER"? I gave $600.00 for the boat, the trailer (like new) and the motor (2000 Merc 9.9M 2-stroke).
My son and I took it out on the river and after a little bit I said "was that water in the boat when we started?" No, we had some seeping going on. But a little bit later after floating down the river, I noticed that a rivet popped out and we sprung a leak which was going about 2 inches in the air. Uh oh, time to start the motor and get back the landing. (first time ever trying to start the Mercury 9.9 and it started on the second pull and sounded great! after a few seconds it quit and I said "man, I love that". Two pulls and started right up after sitting. Then I tried to start it again for about the next half hour but could not get it going.
My son sat on the floor of the boat right in front of my feet with his finger on the hole to stop the water. We trolled up river for about the next 45 minutes trying every little bit to start the motor. We finally made it home safely.
So after reading on hear and researching a bit I ordered some solid rivets from Jay-Cee sales and rivets. I am going to pick up the large rivet gun and some 3m 5200. I have put water in the boat and watched for leaking rivets and marked them. I will start those repairs when I get the items in the mail.
I am not unlike everyone else - I don't have that much time to get out to fish so I don't want problems every time I go out. What I want right now is just to have a dry boat. "Maybe" later I will get more motivated to do a project like some of you guys.
1. My first question is about the center seam running the length of the boat. After filling it with water I see that that is probably going to seep along the seam. Is there anything I can seal that with, like the 5200? Should I so it from the inside or the underside?
2. This boat does not have a drain plug. Should I put one in? Is there a particular one to get? is there a particular place to put it or just near the bottom of the transom kind of close to the center?
3. The nose of the boat is broken out. I could leave it but it bugs me. Can I just have a piece welded in there or is there another idea. that I can do? There is no eyelet to pull the boat onto the trailer. They just looped the strap through the nose "hole" and pulled it up like that. It works but I was wondering if I should install the regular eyelet through the front of the boat or is that just asking for trouble/leaks?
4. On the bottom edge of the transome it must have leaked in the past so they put some kind of "sealer" on there. It appears tp be working but it's pretty ugly. Should I grind that off somehow and repair it properly or just let it be?
Let's start with these questions for now and see where it takes us. I am sure there will be more. :lol:
Pictures below of some of the areas I was talking about.
The boat
The broken nose
The transom smear
Inside of the transom where maybe I will put the drain plug and maybe a bilge?
hope to hear from some of you guys on this. Thanks.
Jim
I bought a boat on a whim. I am new to boats and to the best of my knowledge this boat is about a '67 Alumacraft 14'. The previous registration says it's a '75 but the lady I bought it from had it when she was a kid and she is now retired. I also took off a registration sticker from 1968 so I think that I am in the range.
I asked the guy if it had any leaks and he said they had patched some but "no, it doesn't leak". Weeeell, I guess that was my first mistake. I was not specific enough... I should have said "does it leak when it's IN the WATER"? I gave $600.00 for the boat, the trailer (like new) and the motor (2000 Merc 9.9M 2-stroke).
My son and I took it out on the river and after a little bit I said "was that water in the boat when we started?" No, we had some seeping going on. But a little bit later after floating down the river, I noticed that a rivet popped out and we sprung a leak which was going about 2 inches in the air. Uh oh, time to start the motor and get back the landing. (first time ever trying to start the Mercury 9.9 and it started on the second pull and sounded great! after a few seconds it quit and I said "man, I love that". Two pulls and started right up after sitting. Then I tried to start it again for about the next half hour but could not get it going.
My son sat on the floor of the boat right in front of my feet with his finger on the hole to stop the water. We trolled up river for about the next 45 minutes trying every little bit to start the motor. We finally made it home safely.
So after reading on hear and researching a bit I ordered some solid rivets from Jay-Cee sales and rivets. I am going to pick up the large rivet gun and some 3m 5200. I have put water in the boat and watched for leaking rivets and marked them. I will start those repairs when I get the items in the mail.
I am not unlike everyone else - I don't have that much time to get out to fish so I don't want problems every time I go out. What I want right now is just to have a dry boat. "Maybe" later I will get more motivated to do a project like some of you guys.
1. My first question is about the center seam running the length of the boat. After filling it with water I see that that is probably going to seep along the seam. Is there anything I can seal that with, like the 5200? Should I so it from the inside or the underside?
2. This boat does not have a drain plug. Should I put one in? Is there a particular one to get? is there a particular place to put it or just near the bottom of the transom kind of close to the center?
3. The nose of the boat is broken out. I could leave it but it bugs me. Can I just have a piece welded in there or is there another idea. that I can do? There is no eyelet to pull the boat onto the trailer. They just looped the strap through the nose "hole" and pulled it up like that. It works but I was wondering if I should install the regular eyelet through the front of the boat or is that just asking for trouble/leaks?
4. On the bottom edge of the transome it must have leaked in the past so they put some kind of "sealer" on there. It appears tp be working but it's pretty ugly. Should I grind that off somehow and repair it properly or just let it be?
Let's start with these questions for now and see where it takes us. I am sure there will be more. :lol:
Pictures below of some of the areas I was talking about.
The boat
The broken nose
The transom smear
Inside of the transom where maybe I will put the drain plug and maybe a bilge?
hope to hear from some of you guys on this. Thanks.
Jim