baracuda
New member
Hello everyone. Just found this site from posts on THT about repairing aluminum boats.
I bought a 2012 Seaark 170 last year and noticed that I have had water in the bilge. Recently it has been a lot, so i checked all around and filled the hull with water and found no leaks. finally dawned on me to jack the boat off the trailer and BINGO. Right where the boat sits on the bunk there is a crack and a lot of corrosion around. Seems like the crack was from power loading or hitting the trailer too hard. the resulting leak let saltwater into the foam floatation under the seat and stayed there, so basically that area getting attacked from the PT bunks with carpet and waterlogged foam. The hull is .100 welded, so there should be some meat there to work with.
Here's the plan, let me know if i am missing anything or if there is a better way:
1) cut hole in back of seat and remove all foam from the void
2) clean, scrub, buff down the inside
3) flip boat and clean, scrub, buff, acid wash the area
4) have a local guy TIG weld the crack
5) Use metal 2 metal or another aluminum epoxy on the outside to fill all pinholes and build up protection layer
6) paint the repair with barrier coat / primer (or Gulvit??)
7) flip boat and apply barrier coat / primer to area under seat (or Gulvit??)
8) put plastic gutter on bunk boards (post form DaleH)
I bought a 2012 Seaark 170 last year and noticed that I have had water in the bilge. Recently it has been a lot, so i checked all around and filled the hull with water and found no leaks. finally dawned on me to jack the boat off the trailer and BINGO. Right where the boat sits on the bunk there is a crack and a lot of corrosion around. Seems like the crack was from power loading or hitting the trailer too hard. the resulting leak let saltwater into the foam floatation under the seat and stayed there, so basically that area getting attacked from the PT bunks with carpet and waterlogged foam. The hull is .100 welded, so there should be some meat there to work with.
Here's the plan, let me know if i am missing anything or if there is a better way:
1) cut hole in back of seat and remove all foam from the void
2) clean, scrub, buff down the inside
3) flip boat and clean, scrub, buff, acid wash the area
4) have a local guy TIG weld the crack
5) Use metal 2 metal or another aluminum epoxy on the outside to fill all pinholes and build up protection layer
6) paint the repair with barrier coat / primer (or Gulvit??)
7) flip boat and apply barrier coat / primer to area under seat (or Gulvit??)
8) put plastic gutter on bunk boards (post form DaleH)