Corrosion Issue

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Brendon

New member
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
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Location
Newport, NC
First I would like to say thanks for everything the members post here, it has really helped with the mods I am doing on my first tin boat. I recently purchased a 2002 1648 Lowe mod v that had been sitting for a while. The first mod I did was building a casting deck on the bow. Since purchasing the boat I always noticed a small amount of water in the boat nothing drastic though, recently it has been getting worse each time I use it.
I figured the best way to test for leaks would be to install the drain plug and run a garden hose in the boat and look for leaks. During this test I noticed the trailer bunks became drenched, so I jacked up the boat a few inches so the hull was off the bunks. This is was when I realized I had a problem on my hands; all along the hull was pitting and corrosion (as you can see in the pictures). The only part of the hull that is damaged is the part that sits on the bunks. I copied the below from an older post from another forum and I think it is what’s happening to me.
“One corrosion problem that is cropping up frequently on aluminum boats with newer trailers is the copper treated wood bunks and wet carpeting causing galvanic corrosion on the hull of the boat. In the past, wood was treated with arsenic to prevent rotting but that is not allowed now so wood is treated with copper solutions. When you have wet carpeting acting as an electrolyte between the aluminum boat and the copper in the bunks, you have a battery that eats away the aluminum hull.”
The bunks are treated and carpeted. I use the boat in brackish water and usually give a freshwater rinse down but this a hard to reach area. I am going to block the boat up to replace the bunks and do some other needed trailer work. What I’m asking is how can I fix the holes and reinforce the hull, is hiring a welder going to be my only option for a solid fix? Also, could a bad ground on the trailer have caused the corrosion? Thanks!
JON BOAT 3.jpgJON BOAT 2.jpgJON BOAT.jpg
 
Hoping I don't have the same problem with my latest purchase. It has leaks!!! Previous owner lied about that part :cry: I just purchased and am fixing to install those plastic boat slicks over my runners since they are in good shape and really don't want to try to replace them right now. I figure the slicks should prevent any type of contact with the hull. Sure someone will be around with a solution to your problem shortly.
 
You can fix it with a epoxy (lots of threads here about the different types)

I used JB Weld for a few small pinholes from where a bunk bracket caused the corrosion.


Add the plastic slicks ( I made mine from old cutting boards) and you will never have to worry again
 
I had the same type of corrosion in the same spots you do. Mine were not all the way though the hull so I just used Marine Tex epoxy...for me it bonded very well and all the pitting is covered up. Since mine is mostly on the bottom I will just sand and paint. I need to change my bunks still, but that will be when I restore the trailer.
 
I am dealing with the same issue .About 10 y ago bought al boat (price was right cause it had corrosion issues like yours). I wire brushed some spots and sandblasted some.Applied JB weld to some ,epoxy to some ,The green plastic welding rod for al boat repair from Cabelas.Most spots were not through metal....As of a couple weeks ago I removed every thing in boat and flipped it...What i saw I did not like.All patches were begening to peel around edges some seemed to be raised in middle(like small bubble).Before I flipped I put water in and leak checked OK..So they had not failed.Anyway I decided to remove all patches(with scraper ,wire brush, Savogram super strip loosen and disolve all the above ,helped lots ,and lots work.In the process of removeing , that it seemed the corrosion seemed to grow underneith and cause the small bubble.. But on the bright side I got 10Y and no failure on any Patch.This time I am going to take it to a Welder next week and have it fixed right..So to wrap this up what I Observed is in my opinion All the forms of patches I used so far are Great ..They just do not last forever..We will test the Welder this round ...cva34
 
There are many different epoxy's that will work and it all depends on what you want. JB weld or any Marine epoxy are great choices. I myself use Alcoa Aluminum Gutter Seal because it has aluminum powder in the compound so it grips really nice but if you go that route do not get it on your hands because I had silver fingers for almost a week because I forgot to wear gloves.

Welding is a good choice but when you weld it weakens the aluminum around it from heating and it isn't cheap to pay someone to weld.

The pitting can come from many different reasons, grounding can be one or if your bunks are pressure treated and just covered with carpet which would be a homemade job.
 
Change the bunk boards to untreated wood coated with 3 or 4 coats of Spar and apply new carpet.

Use a flap disk or cupped wire brush on an angle grinder to remove the contaminants from the bottom of the boat.

Coat the bottom of the boat with something like Steel Flex, Gluvit ot Coat It.

Problem solved.

Cost should be under $200 and can be done in a weekend.
 
Thanks for everyone's help. I decided to go with Gflex epoxy and replace bad rivets with SS bolts. I will keep this updated so anyone with the same problem can see how it works out.

boat on block.jpg
 
I am no expert, but SS bolts on aluminum may just start your corrosion problem all over again.

Dis-similar metals are a problem, no matter what metals you use, unless you use aluminum on aluminum. rich
 
richg99 said:
I am no expert, but SS bolts on aluminum may just start your corrosion problem all over again.

Dis-similar metals are a problem, no matter what metals you use, unless you use aluminum on aluminum. rich

That's why you coat them in JB or any hard epoxy! But this is also depending on location since if its going to be in saltwater then it is a big problem. If it is freshwater use then it will take many many years for it to build up corrosion.

I would much rather rebunk the rivets and use aluminum replacements if that was my boat but everyone is different!
 
Took the advice on here against using SS bolts to replace bad rivets and purchased sealed aluminium rivets. Sealed everything up with GFelx, and replaced the carpeted bunks with a series of rollers. Everything works great, shes as dry as the day she rolled out of the factory.

I ordered the sealed rivets from a guy on Ebay, they seem stronger than non sealed and are harder to install. I order them and they were here is about 3 days. If anyone is interested check out "The Rivet Gallery" on ebay.

https://stores.ebay.com/The-Rivet-Gallery
 

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