Leaky old lund boat - cheap fix?

[Dan]

Hey,
I have a relative who isn't a real finatic when it comes to fishing, so he isn't inclined to spend a lot of time or money getting his rig fixed. He has an older 18' Lund basic fishing boat that has a leak (or leaks).

Question - is there any spray sold that you can spray on the seems to stop or slow small leaks? If it were me, I told him I'd fill the boat with water and find out exactly where it is leaking and try to fix the old rivets or bring it to a dealer. He doesn't think much of that idea. I thought I'd ask to see if there is an easy spray-on application that would work for this. It seems likely that there would be, but I guess I've never heard of it. The boat is old enough it is out of warranty and he doesn't live real close to any major dealerships. Thanks!

[bountyhunter]

fill"ER up find leaks mark themGOOD take to weld shop that does alumium. cheap and good fix .

[AquaMan]

There are several products that will do an adequate job if he is handy...and it should like he is. Cabela's offers a product that can be used like solder for sealing leaks in an aluminum boat. One has to have access to both sides of the leak and be able to clean the area well with sand paper ot steel wool.

I have used a similar product with excellent results. Check it out. The link is below.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/horizontal-item.jhtml?id=0001390010655a&navAction=jump&navCount=0&indexId=&podId=0001390&catalogCode=IB&parentId=&parentType=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml.1_A&_DAV=0001390010655a

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all begins and ends at the water's edge...

[Bottom Line]

Hmmm , sounds like the solution is to buy a welded boat . I could not help myself on this one . Sorry but I had to say the obvious .

[Hookmaster]

The product that AquaMan gave the link to is excellent.

Formerly John in MN

[Bob Z]

Here is another idea.

I have used a Loctite product in the past. The product number is #290. It may be renamed or renumbered by now. It is a 'wicking' liquid - very, very thin liquid. It will wick into tiny areas and then harden into a plastic.

Turn the boat over and put one drop on each rivet that you suspect might be leaking. The product will also travel against gravity if you cannot turn the boat over.

[BigDave2]

I fixed an old aluminum jon boat with silcone caulk that I bought at the hardware store. The boat is used only for duck hunting but sees alot of rough use ( bouncing around in back of truck, drag some times great distance. It worked I have to replace evey couple years but at less than $5.00 a tube it is cheap. Doesn't look pretty but works great!

[RANGER]

Dan,

I posted this on the "General Discussion" forum a few minutes ago - there is a product called "Marine-Tex" that is an epoxy that you mix to activate and it is really tough stuff, I MEAN really tough. Once dry you can sand and paint it.

[Denali]

Dan
How dare you say that a Lund leaks! Blasphemy! After reading this message board for a few years, I always thought Lunds were made in heaven by a devine hand considering the way Lund owners defend them.
You have dashed all my sacred beliefs like Lunds don't leak, Santa and the Easter Bunny.
Ya sure know how to ruin a guys day.

[Phil T.]

Like my old Alumicraft, Lunds never leak. It's just condensation from the owners panting because of all the fish they battle.

Yah, right.

[Greg Warner]

The least expensive way to fix a leaky boat is to tighten the rivets that cause the leak. Use a 5# hammer on the outside and hammer, or "rivet" the inside of the rivet. That is the same technique that the factories use to tighten the rivet is the boat when it was origianlly built. Very cheap and inexpensive and most if all "IT WORKS"

[VMS]

Not sure if this applies, but doesn't lund offer a lifetime warranty on their hull?