leak

[tim_pinnell]

I have an older 22 foot starcraft that has a leak which requires the bilge to be run every 10 minutes or so. I powerwashed it at the end of the year and some of the silicone that is spread on the seams at the back came off. Should I strip all the silicone off and start from scratch or just patch where it came off. Also what brand names of sealant work well for these small leaks around the seam areas of my aluminum boat. Tim

[Graembo]

Every 10 mins!!! that's quite often. How long does it run for? and what's the GPH of your pump?

Might be more than a bit of silicone missing. You might have a hose busted loose underneath somewhere if you have any through hull fittings

G

[Lunker Larry]

I had a an old 12 foot once that leaked pretty bad around the transom and some holes that were drilled into it for who knows what. I used a tube of liquid metal and pressed it into every seam, hole and rivet I thought was the problem and never had a problem afterward. It cures as hard as metal and never broke or peeled off even after some rough banging around and dragging it in and out of places you do with a 12 foot. I just ran steel wool over the areas before applying.
I'd recommend it.

[Jimmy]

I have an older 22 foot starcraft that has a leak which requires the bilge to be run every 10 minutes or so. I powerwashed it at the end of the year and some of the silicone that is spread on the seams at the back came off. Should I strip all the silicone off and start from scratch or just patch where it came off. Also what brand names of sealant work well for these small leaks around the seam areas of my aluminum boat. Tim

My 18ft Starcraft leaked like a sive... so I sold it!
To do the rivets (filled boat with some water and a dye till it leaked) etc... (chances are thats where your problem is) is a tremendous amount of work... so I was faced with adding an automatic bilge..and a backup bilge...just in case... or stripping the inside and redoing the rivets. The first is far less expensive... but not as safe.. or the second was far more expensive, and very time consuming (see Skooters post on fixing his), and I would still have an old boat no matter what I did to it.

My ultimate solution... sell it ..buy a safe new one that will last me for 30+ years!

Your ultimate solution will be your choice...
Good luck
Jimmy

[Yankee]

JB Weld You can purchase it at Wal-Mart.

[tinbanger]

As Yankee said JB weld , that is if you can find the leak That may be the hardest part.
Canadian tire carry it as well.

[orrsey]

JB weld works great......as long as you have thicker alluminum for a boat. I know I had a 14 footer and the alluminum would bounce when I hit waves or moved around. I had a leak and used JB weld, it did harden fantastically but did not give with the alluminum and it cracked again leaving me where I started.

[mikemicropterus]

I have been fixing leaks in tin boats for over ten years and there are some things that some over look. JB weld is a band-aid and will not last. Silicone will not last the only way to fix the leak is to fix the problem and if that means pulling the floor then that's what must be done. I've had Legends, Crestliners, Princecrafts and Smokercrafts completely apart and put back together to find and fix the leak. I mwill guarantee that the leak is just the start of something bigger and most leaks by the sounds of yours are from more than one or two rivets.

Give me a call and I maybe able to offer some advise
Michael Lynch-Staunton
ML-S Small Engine Repair
613-284-2761

[jiggy2006]

Hi I had a 12 foot which I had troubles with a leaking transom/floor area.., it cracked.. for quick fix, i used JB weld bought from Canadian tire, it held good for couple trips and finally it cracked too and came loose. So a friend suggested this aluminum bondo type paste ..(liquid metal!? ) expensive but applied it on there like you would apply a bondo on a car, it cured and became hard as a rock... never had any problems after that.