Im a NEWBE! Welded vs. rivieted

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

theyyounggun

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Messages
524
Reaction score
0
Location
Central, AR
Wanting to get a new tin. Put trolling motor, fishfinder, deck, seats, kitchen sink, and use a 20 hp. You can get a new NICE riveted for the same price or less as a welded. Please help me! [-o<
 
Just buy what you can afford. I've got a 70's riveted and still going strong. Riveted or welded won't make much difference in the long run. Lots of nice used stuff on CL. Happy hunting!
 
ckr74 said:
Just buy what you can afford. I've got a 70's riveted and still going strong. Riveted or welded won't make much difference in the long run. Lots of nice used stuff on CL. Happy hunting!
it will make a difference in the long run.my last boat was riveted and leaked like a seive.the only way my welded will leak is if i tear a hole in it.you can only bang around a riveted boat for so long before the rivets start to loosen.thats why a good number of mods here have been coated with one product or another on the bottom (steel flex?).if you can get a welded for a good price,do it,especially if you plan to keep it for several years.they may also be heavier guage aluminum,i dont know.but if you're putting everything and the kitchen sink,plus a 20 ,do you really want to go cheap and light?
 
i wanted a welded but bought a rivited used for good price,no regreats.
If you want a good new welded check out Wedlbilt boats,priceing is good and they build um like you want um good priceing to.You can get um with a pointed or a square nose and i like the square nose jon =D>
 
I guess I'm gonna find a welded! But what if I put epoxy on all of the rivets. Sanded. Put steel flex. Paint. Can't you put bed liner on the bottom to help protect it?
 
you never did say what kind of boat you was looking for.V or flat?New or used?must be a used one as you are allready plannin on fixing rivits :?
Never use bed liner on the bottom as that will not provide a smooth surface.you want a smooth surface on the bottom of your boat and then your peanut moter can push your boat at a good rate of speed.
 
hotshotinn said:
you never did say what kind of boat you was looking for.V or flat?New or used?must be a used one as you are allready plannin on fixing rivits :?
Never use bed liner on the bottom as that will not provide a smooth surface.you want a smooth surface on the bottom of your boat and then your peanut moter can push your boat at a good rate of speed.
Ok thanks. I just thought I saw people doing that to protect there hulls. Its gonna be a flat. And new or used just depends on what I see.
 
Mine must be an anomaly - made in 1955 (and have the receipt to prove it) with old school rivets, no steel flex or gluv-it, and still dry as the Sahara.

Get a quality boat and it really won't matter either way. (Though my next tinny will most likely be welded, just to try something new).
 
It's like this:

1. Welded boats have a little thicker hull and weigh a little more. Welds can and will crack and break. If you know how and have the tools to weld aluminum it won't be that big of a problems if one of your welds crack or breaks.

2. Riveted boats have a little thinner hull material and are a little lighter. Rivets can and will leak. Leaking rivets can be easily fixed like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MA1-5NXjs&feature=related

You can buy a heavy duty rivet setting tool from Harbor Freight for $20 and 100 closed end blind rivets for $20. A rivget setting tool and selection of rivets is a very handy thing to have whether you own a welded or riveted aluminum boat.
 
That's defiantly gonna be something I buy soon. Thanks for all the input! I know g3 is a good brand. What are some other
 
I tooled around in my dad's old riveted Monark for years. Last year, I bought a used Alweld. It was a night and day difference regarding rigidity and overall ride. Sure, my Alweld weighs more than a similar size riveted boat and my motor has to grunt a little more, but I'll take the added strength anyday. BTW, I bought mine Sept/2011.

If you're looking for welded open floor plan jons, look at Alweld, Duracraft (some models), Sea Ark, Weldbilt, Lowe (some models), War Eagle ($$$$), and even Tracker Grizzly. I personally like Alwelds and Weldbilts.
 
A lot depends on your budget, intended use, and how long you plan to keep the boat.

If you have a money tree in the backyard, then get a brand new welded boat - they truly are the best of the best.

If you are like the rest of us and your boating budget is limited, then a used riveted boat will be just fine. Leaks are easily identified and fixed for not much money. And there are tons of old riveted boats that don't leak a drop .... usually do to good care and proper maintenance.

Now, if you run rocky rivers all the time and/or beach the boat regularly on gravel or cement, then I'd get a welded boat for sure.
 
I own a 1974 Valco U-12 -a riveted, 12'4" semi-vee utility hull rated for 20 horsepower with a 735 pound total capcity. I knew the original owner and fished out of this boat with him when I was a boy. My dad bought it from him, and I acquired it from my dad. I know the history of this hull -how, when, and where it was used, how often, and what conditions it was used under. My U-12 hasn't lead an easy life.

When my dad got it in '96, we took it out and found it weeping at the transom -a fraction of a "spork" full of water, if that. My aerospace-engineer type dad couldn't live with that, so we found the offending rivets and re-bucked both of them. It took less than an hour to get the tools out, find the little offenders, re-buck them, test our work, and put the tools away.

My dad thinks pretty highly of these old Valco hulls, considering them to be well made with some subtle but clever engineering. Knowing what I put mine through, I concur with that assessment. If I ever need to replace my U-12, my first choice will be to find another. Not because I am a riveted hull fanboy, but because I like the dry ride, handling, stability, load capacity, and ability to hang 20 ponies off the transom of a 12'4" boat that was designed for that power.

To me, a quality hull is a quality hull, whether it is welded or riveted. Both are a means to an end, with advantages and disadvantages. I also think there is more to a good hull than whether it is riveted or welded.

T-C
 
I agree get what you can afford while thinking about where you are going to fish. My 1968/1969 Richline doesn't leak a drop and all of the rivets are original (so far). I fish mainly lakes that are sandy so rocks and concrete aren't an issue. Take your time no troll Craigslist. You'll find the right boat.
 
had 2 riveted boats in the past and they were much lighter weight alum than the 16' Weldbilt I have now. You could dent my old Tracker with your fist,...you'll break your hand on the Weldbilt. But welded also means a substantially heavier boat. I prefer the Weldbilts, very stout aluminum,..will take years of abuse.
 

Latest posts

Top