TOPIC: Aluminum hull repair

Over Christmas my brother in-law was telling me about his Aerocraft that has a bad spot in the hull. It seems as if the boats battery was allowed to compost on a place in the hull and now it is hard, brittle and full of holes. He lives in the Coldwater, Mich. area and he said he can't find a person to repair it. I would assume he hasn't found the right person yet, so I thought I would ask here. Certainly this bad area in the hull can be cut out and a new piece of aluminum welded in. Anyone know of a person that could fix this within a couple hours drive of Coldwater, Mich.?

Hey Dave,

Another choice your brother has is to cut out the bad area and make a patch panel to cover the area. I know its not the best method or the cleanest looking but I can tell that, done right, it will be structurally sound. I spent about half of my military career patching jets and helos. A properly made patch sealed and riveted in place will at least get him in the water until he can find someone to weld in a patch. The key is the use of the proper metal and rivets. Bi-mettalic corrosion will result in a worse situation that before, especially if he's using the boat in a saltwater environment.

A good body man should be able to properly weld in an aluminum patch that, after grinding, will be all but invisible. I would check with the local Vo-Tech. If they have either a weldign program or a good autobody program, either of them should be able to take care of him for the cost of materials. Most programs welcome interaction with the public and use it as a "shop-style" transcation such as the student will experience in their future.

Vo-Tech is a good place to try. I had a broken bell housing and let them try to weld it. They not only repaired it and beefed it up, it was cleaned and checked for cracks all over. I had got the car cheap because the started was loose and it broke off the starter mounting bubble. It was a very hard piece to find.

We will have to look into a Vo-Tech school. Thanks

A patch would work; lay it over the compromised area and rivet it in place. Seal it with 5200 in between layers. Gluvit on the inside will get you a permanent fix.

I have brazed aluminum before. My rowboat had 4 holes in it the size of my index finger. I used HTS-2000 and it worked out well. There is a learning curve however. Use map gas for best results as it burns a little hotter than propane.

Welding will warp the boat slightly, brazing may also. A patch will not. Just something to think about.