Repairing a very small hole in pontoon????

[partybarge21]

Has anyone used the two part apoxy / metal repair kit for aluminum hulls?
I have a very small hole and I am thinking of using it.
I really do not want to trailer the boat 14 miles to an aluminum welder if I can avoid it.
Noticed the small hole when boat was pulled for the winter. Not alot of water drained from the toon and it was not apparent when sitting in the water.

[bug73]

Is the hole on top of or bottom on the toon?

If its on the bottom, a good chance it wont have a lot of water in there IF it stays in the water and doesnt have any holes above the water line. Sort of like an inverted cup.

Is the hole on the welded seam? or at a stress point?

I wouldnt use it if it was at a welded seam or stress point just because it will eventually grow. Better to get it fixed when small then cover it up and find its bigger later.

If its not at or on either of the above, you could proabbly use that stuff with no problem. I had an aluminum fishing boat that was riveted together and I sealed a lot of leaky rivets with it and it worked great. Looked like crap in a couple of years but they still didnt leak.

I also used that marine epoxy stuff on my fishfider transducer. The bracket broke one time somehow, I have no idea, and its still holding pretty good....again it looks like crap but its still stong.

They also have some aluminum brazing stuff that works OK on non stress areas and small holes if your handy with a small propane or MAPPs torch. I have used that stuff also.

I have a small crack I am watching each year at one of the M bracket attachment points on my boat, doesnt seem to be growing but I still watch it. I want to get it fixed but I have not found a welder I am satisfied with yet.

[badmoonrising]

Yeah what Bug said. Those epoxies never hold where there's even a little flexing or at stress points. Also, after applying the epoxy and then you have to have it welded after the epoxy fails, it's makes the welder's job harder.

[partybarge21]

bug73,
Thanks for the response and helpful info.
The hole is on the bottom of the toon and not on a seam.
I like the idea of using the aluminum brazzing.
I am handy with a mapps torch.
I will try the fix and see how it works.
Thanks again.
I am guessing the previous owner must have hit something. The toons were already treated with the apoxy paint and the anti-fowling paint.
When we checked the toons in July we didn't notice the hole.
Then again, maybe I hit a big flounder

[cwag911]

If Lakerunner chimes in he's not a fan of those aluminum welding rods. IMO it's not something you want to cheap out on. Especially in salt water.

[bug73]

I have some aluminum brazing rods that would hold but I cant remember the brand name. I saw them first at one of those county fair type booths and the guy had all sorts of stuff he had brazed. The most impressive was a couple of aluminum cans he dared anyone to break apart. He also had several holes in one he had brazed closed, well being the type I am I took him up on the offer and whenI stepped up to the booth I whipped out my leatherman and expected him to stop me but he just laughed, I tried to pry and poke the brazing out of the holes and could not get it to budge. I will try and find those things in my messed up garage and get the name brand.

It is true they make repairing them after the fail a real mess. I tried some cheap ones I got at the hardware store and they worked for awhile but eventually failed. The welder actually charge me an extra hour because he had to clean it all up before welding.

Maybe it might be just as cheap or easy to have the welder come to you?

[lakerunner]

I used the HTS-2000 rods with Mapp Gas.

For a small hole it will work fine but for a larger one or crack don't waste your timer or money. Have it done right.

[dockholiday]

JB weld might work. Most automotive suppliers carry it. I would just let a pro do it. Usually the hard part is identifying where the hole is.
doc