complete 12' overhaul need advice

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boatnoob

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I live on an at anchor sailboat that needs a ton of work in Miami Florida. I need to get to shore and back frequently and reliably, and bring supplies like big plywood sheets to shore. I have a decent 2 stroke 5 HP yamaha outboard. For some reason finding a dinghy for sale is incredibly difficult around here. The boat needs to be in the water all the time.(SALT) One of the best options I've found is a battered leaking 12 foot johnboat. The guy will take $100 dollars which is the best price I've found. It would be a very useful boat if I could get it into good condition with an overhaul. No pictures, but the state of the boat is as follows:

Riveted, leaking from some rivets, seams etc. Some open holes on the hull that have been patched previously and somewhat effectively. Many joints not stable, creaky, unreliable structure in general. Many small dings, scratches, dents, even holes. Might completely sink and fill up in 12-24 hours if left alone.

I do not have a power source on that island. Technically you are not supposed to leave things there at all, and running a generator there would surely be against the law. So no power tools, just what I can bring to the island to fix it in a small Walker Bay dinghy.
Currently the boat is on an uninhabited "key" or island bottom up on the beach. It's been in the sun since I tested it for leaks, and was in the sun for months before that. My idea is to completely reinforce the entire aluminum structure. If possible, I would like to encapsulate it in a fiberglass mat. I know that is not generally advised, but Florida has the most stable temperature range in the continental USA and one of the most in the world, so uneven expansion may not be the biggest problem as it would be in the great lakes for example. I have also thought of using 5200 to seal the seams, or even some rubberized spray coating like for truck beds to go over the entire inside, and another smoother to go over the outer. I've also thought of putting wooden slats on the bottom to reinforce and add buoyancy, putting styrofoam inside, so that the pressure of the boat won't force in much leakage.

I have come across the Gluvit or whatever the stuff is called, but is terribly expensive to use on such a far gone boat. What does the room think? What about a polyester epoxy lining and a sheet of fiberglass cloth? Just a bunch of layers of super thick paint? wooden reinforcements? Unfixable? Forget about it and move on? I'm willing to put in some money and a day or two's work if I can make a decent boat out of it. Thanks a lot photos maybe soon but not much to show.
 
I have posted about this stuff before, but Academy sells this product called Amazing Goop Coat-it. It is an epoxy and Kevlar resin that if unpainted is frankly ugly as sin, but it dries rock hard and will seal up any leaky rivets really well, and you can apply it with a short, stiff paintbrush. Best part is, it's less than half the price of Gluvit! (about $20)
 

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Piomarine said:
I have posted about this stuff before, but Academy sells this product called Amazing Goop Coat-it. It is an epoxy and Kevlar resin that if unpainted is frankly ugly as sin, but it dries rock hard and will seal up any leaky rivets really well, and you can apply it with a short, stiff paintbrush. Best part is, it's less than half the price of Gluvit! (about $20)
Thanks a lot. I will check if West has it locally , or another marine store. There are plenty in Miami
 

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