fishfast41
Member
Hi everyone ! I'd like to say thanks for the great information I see here,I've learned a lot. Enough to redo my old boat much better this time around. I have a 1994 Alumacraft V-14 that I modded from brand new, I made some wood decks atop the bench seats, made a livewell, etc. The old plywood was toast, and I've stripped the interior down, and removed 2 of the bench seats. I'm currently building an aluminum framework to support the sides and give me a base for storage and all the other fishing amenities. This work is going well, ( yes, I will post pics as soon as I figure out how, I've never posted a board before) But I have a nagging problem with the boat over the past 2 years-- It leaks from the bow seam under the keel. I have looked closely at it, and the sealant and the material they used for sealing rotted away. The stuff appears to be neoprene rubber or some other type of cell foam, glued in with what looks like the weatherstripping glue you would use on a car's door seals. I have put some Boat Life caulk in there, but it lasts about a year before leaking again. Is anyone else familiar with this issue? Or maybe know of a good fix? I talked to the dealer I got it from, and he told me that I was lucky it lasted 14 years. They stopped selling Alumacrafts completely back in 2000 because a lot of customers were having the same problem even with the higher end boats. Any help would be appreciated. As far as I'm concerned, the ONE thing a boat should NOT do is leak! Thanks in advance. fishfast
