12' Springbok Ghetto "Repair"

First I would like to say "Hello Everyone". My names Terrance. I am a fishing addict who was looking for a cheap aluminum banger to get me out on a few ponds and rivers.

From reading other peoples mods and repairs... I have gathered some interesting ideas.

Here are the sale pictures of the boat :













I will update this thread as the repair process takes place.

First step will be to clean it up and check where the leaks are.

Try to rebuck any rivets that have leaks.

I plan on using Muggy Weld to make sure any of the previous patches are properly sealed (rather than using caulk). Maybe even use along some of the seams that are really dinged up.

Then use the steelflex tinted black to paint the outside of the boat.

Then perhaps later on down the road do some work on the inside. I will update with pictures as the process takes place.

Thanks everyone for your information as I'm sure I'll need more as the process gets underway!

Just get that plate welded up and your good. Maybe just steelflex, but thats a big patch job.

I wouldn't say it's in terrible shape... it does float (for a while anyway).

Looks like some of the rivets were replaced with 'pop' rivets, which will leak. You can probablly pull off all the old cauking and rebuck any leaks on the sides. The patch looks bad, but if it is welded or riveted on, it should be solid.

If you aren't leaving the boat in the water all the time, just using it for day trips, it should be great!

wasilvers said:

I wouldn't say it's in terrible shape... it does float (for a while anyway).

Looks like some of the rivets were replaced with 'pop' rivets, which will leak. You can probablly pull off all the old cauking and rebuck any leaks on the sides. The patch looks bad, but if it is welded or riveted on, it should be solid.

If you aren't leaving the boat in the water all the time, just using it for day trips, it should be great!

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I don't have any tools for riveting / have no idea what I'm doing in that department.

I definitely don't plan on leaving it in the water, only while I'm in it haha. I plan on mostly using it for day trips around the Niagara Region. And when I use it at the cottage I plan on just pulling it up the beach if I'm not puttering around the island.

I'm really hoping I can get away with cleaning up all the useless caulking, getting it all clean and scraped up, and then put some steelflex on it.

I plan on replacing the transom wood with this plastic type material used for cutting boards. (Many people have recommended this as it doesn't rot and serves the purpose.)

I'm hoping the above is enough to keep the water out for a day of fishing!

Thanks for the post!

Welcome aboard TC10Z !!!! I see you took my advice and joined the forum ! hahah its a must when fixin up a tinny !!!!

You posted a few more pics on here then you did on OFN ! Hopefully you can get away with that patch job.... like the others said... if your not leaving it in the water, you should be fine.... just have a good bailing bucket with you ! haha

Good Luck man ! Keep us posted !

Lunker777 said:

Welcome aboard TC10Z !!!! I see you took my advice and joined the forum ! hahah its a must when fixin up a tinny !!!!

You posted a few more pics on here then you did on OFN ! Hopefully you can get away with that patch job.... like the others said... if your not leaving it in the water, you should be fine.... just have a good bailing bucket with you ! haha

Good Luck man ! Keep us posted !

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hahaha OFN is full of information. Just not sure how much of it is any good.

After checking out the link you sent me, and seeing all the successful projects along the lines of what I was thinking... I figured this place would be more receptive to what I'm trying to accomplish!

I'm sure I could take it out as is... but for $150 bucks to make it look new... why not?

Bilge Pump

Doesn't look that bad. Riveting is easy - just go to Home Depot and buy a cheap rivet gun.

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

Bilge Pump

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My hopes are that cleaning it up and sealing it from the outside would stop me from needing a bilge pump. Lots of people are telling me to just use it as is and deal with the water. I only paid 200$ for it and the steelflex is only going to cost me about $50-60 (depending on the dollar lol). Plus the cost of replacing the transom. I think the extra effort of sealing it will make it that much better of a boat (and the black steel flex will change the look of the boat and hide the HORRIBLE caulking job)

BaitCaster said:

Doesn't look that bad. Riveting is easy - just go to Home Depot and buy a cheap rivet gun.

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For the job I'm trying to accomplish do you think re-riveting is even remotely worth it? I mean the boat is pretty badly dinged up, I think the only way to fix it is to just get something in the cracks that will harden and seal it up? If it wasn't in such a rough shape with that giant square patch, circle patch, and gun shot hole in the bottom I would put more effort into the boat!

Hi Terrance, I'm new to the board as well. Looks like you and I have very similar boats, at pretty much the same stage of restoration (I posted a new thread just now with a few lousy pictures). My boat had no markings, but I wonder if I have the same make as you, it sure looks about the same.

I'm interested to keep up with how you fare with your work. I had (have) concerns that I'm wasting my time as well, but it sounds like from the replies here than I might not be.

--Zack

zackn said:

Hi Terrance, I'm new to the board as well. Looks like you and I have very similar boats, at pretty much the same stage of restoration (I posted a new thread just now with a few lousy pictures). My boat had no markings, but I wonder if I have the same make as you, it sure looks about the same.

I'm interested to keep up with how you fare with your work. I had (have) concerns that I'm wasting my time as well, but it sounds like from the replies here than I might not be.

--Zack

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I was told by many people that for what I paid for the boat its not a waste of money. I'm really hoping they are right hahaha. I wont have too much to update on my build now until I get the steelflex. (Hopefully your boat doesn't have as many ghetto patches/leak proofed with caulking)

Maybe I'll pressure wash it and get the wire grinder out this weekend to take some nicer shots. I was debating painting the inside but I think I'll just leave it as is.

For my boat, I'm not going to get into replacing rivets. It doesn't seem worth the time or cost. My plan, after stripping down to bare aluminum, is to rebuck the all rivets with a couple hammers. Sounds like that has pretty good results. Then I might try 3M 5200 Marine Sealant on the rivets and seams, and then going over that with Gluvit on inside and out. Then primer and paint on top of that. I don't know if that's the best way to go, but seems like a viable option from what I've read.

--Zack

zackn said:

For my boat, I'm not going to get into replacing rivets. It doesn't seem worth the time or cost. My plan, after stripping down to bare aluminum, is to rebuck the all rivets with a couple hammers. Sounds like that has pretty good results. Then I might try 3M 5200 Marine Sealant on the rivets and seams, and then going over that with Gluvit on inside and out. Then primer and paint on top of that. I don't know if that's the best way to go, but seems like a viable option from what I've read.

--Zack

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I wish I could get away with that, but I think my boat needs the entire thing coated!

Do you know how Gluvit compares to SteelFlex? Do they accomplish different things? I heard the Gluvit will seep into seams and keeps a flexible bond so it won't crack when the hull of the boat flexes, which I liked. Haven't looked into SteelFlex much.

zackn said:

Do you know how Gluvit compares to SteelFlex? Do they accomplish different things? I heard the Gluvit will seep into seams and keeps a flexible bond so it won't crack when the hull of the boat flexes, which I liked. Haven't looked into SteelFlex much.

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Hummm. Sounds like its the exact same as Steelflex...but I have no idea!

I smell me starting a new topic... NOW!

What size motor are you thinking of putting on your boat? I'd like to get as much power as I can, and I'm pondering a 9.9hp 2-stroke. But I wonder if it might be too much for my transom? I'm going to try to reinforce the transom as much as I can, but the boat over all is pretty lightweight. This is my first boat, so I don't have any point of reference other than research online.

zackn said:

What size motor are you thinking of putting on your boat? I'd like to get as much power as I can, and I'm pondering a 9.9hp 2-stroke. But I wonder if it might be too much for my transom? I'm going to try to reinforce the transom as much as I can, but the boat over all is pretty lightweight. This is my first boat, so I don't have any point of reference other than research online.

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I'm only planning on using a trolling motor! I just want to take it on ponds, rivers, and small lakes. But I would like anything under 10 HP so I don't have to license it, but that's a dream/not in my budget.

Welcome to the forum guys!
The boat doesn't look too bad to me, I would sure it up as well as I could, and make sure I had a good bige pump in there.

Don't worry about the bullet hole. Those are for letting water out.

is lock stock always so friendly?