<P style="MARGIN: 0px">I have a 1436 jon with 18 leaking rivets. Should I try to to tighten them up by beating them or just use some marine epoxy or JB weld to seal them up? </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Most of the leaks are very minor but a couple are dripping pretty good. </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Thanks in advance, </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Kurt</P>
<P>I can't advise you on repairing the leaking rivets, but if you plan on sealing the bottom permanently, you should consider applying some Steelflex by Fasco Epoxy. It will permanently seal all rivets and seams and make your boat bottom slicker at the same time. It is used on the bottoms of airboats and is said to be extremely durable. It's not cheap (around $100 for enough to do the bottom of a mid sized Jon boat) but once applied should permanently cure your leak worries.</P>
<P>Larry:</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Try: <A href="http://www.fascoepoxies.com/" target=_blank>http://www.fascoepoxies.com/</A></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">They have several different varieties of Steelflex, so you might email them and get a description of the advantages,disadvantages and costs for each variety, describing the specific purpose desired. Apparently, you have to be careful taking your boat out of the water with some of the super slick varieties as people have described their boats sliding off the bunks when pulling the trailer up off the ramp, when they failed to tie down the boat first.</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Obviously, if the boat is going to be powered by a low HP motor and you don't intend sliding over mud and grass, being slick is less of a necessary characteristic and their other varieties may be cheaper, more durable, or easier to apply.</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">There's some threads on boat preparation and application of it on the boats, blinds and gadgets forum on The Refuge.</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Cliff</P>
<P>I float rivers with a canoe or a 10' jon boat and knock the heck out of the rivets. Solved the leaking problem by sealing the bottom of the boat with truck bed liner(Rhino liner like material). I really gets the job done and isn't real expensive.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px">It sounds as if your leaking rivet problem is minor. The cheapest & most effective way to seal them is with "Gorilla glue", about 3 bucks @ Home Depot. It will expand & seal it big time. sets up fast too. do it on the inside & outside around your loose rivets. its a waterproof product & works !!!!</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">i like that Rhino liner trick, that works good too.</P>
