Leaky rivets

Last year I noticed some of my rivets were leaking on my boat. Was wondering if anyone knows who fixes that around Mankato area thanks for the help

Possibly you could. I haven’t seen anything that JB weld can’t fix.

They are repaired either mechanically(replacing the rivet having it “aluminum welded); or, Chemically. (epoxy or dare I say “Flex-Seal”)

Jb Weld is strong but does not flex-if the boat flexes (happens)the seal breaks.

depending on how easy they are to get to you can re-buck them with the right tools,by rights they need drilled out and replaced.
most boat shops should be equipped to do this or find an airplane mechanic as they do rivet work frequently,you may have to take said mechanic fishing for payment.
now,if they are in a b****** of a place to get to you can use a cherry max style blind rivet and use a regular rivet puller available about anywhere for twenty bucks.
you will have to drill the old rivet out of course,make sure you get the right length of rivet,too long and it will leak worse than before as it wont ‘pull’ down correctly,too short and it wont clamp the aluminum properly either.

tim hurley wrote:

Jb Weld is strong but does not flex-if the boat flexes (happens)the seal breaks.

not trying to argue or disagree. Changing the oil on my lawnmower, the cast metal broke so I’m holding the plug and extra metal. I searched all over for a fix, an auto repair parts place suggested JB. that was 10 years ago. Still don’t leak. Your flex could hold true, I’m no expert.

Love JB have some in the basement right now-Water is heavier and more powerful than some realize- I don’t want to argue either, I had an old Jon Boat that I had to patch all the time-I used it(JB) very carefully and it did not work too well. Areas of a boat close to the keel probably flex less so JB would be great. Where JB will work it will work very very well.

tim hurley wrote:

Love JB have some in the basement right now-Water is heavier and more powerful than some realize- I don’t want to argue either, I had an old Jon Boat that I had to patch all the time-I used it(JB) very carefully and it did not work too well. Areas of a boat close to the keel probably flex less so JB would be great. Where JB will work it will work very very well.

makes sense!

Sikaflex 221

You’ll thank me later

If don’t have to many to fix and you can get to the back side, them re-bucking them is the best way. Let you Tube be your guide.

If you don’t have to many and you can’t get to the back side, there is a super glue method. Where you warm the rivet and the area around it with a torch, not to hot but warm. Put a couple drops of super glue on the edge of the rivet and as the area cools from the glue the glue will be sucked into the gaps around the rivet sealing the leak.

A few years back, I used JB weld to seal a cracked outlet pipe on 6000 gallon tank that went through heating/cooling cycles. It lasted until I left the company a few years later.

There are rivets on my boat covered in sikaflex that have seen 600 outings.
Some 400
Some 200

Those are just different years I’ve applied it. The only sikaflex that has fallen off, was gouged off removing aluminum in the process.

Last week I ran 2 miles full speed on a 100% ice covered river. Sikaflex looks like the first day I put it on.

My 2c.
Good luck finding another review of any product that matches the usage and longevity.

I had spent over $500 on solutions before I found sikaflex… But hey, now I have an oxyacetleyne torch, various aluminum brazing materials, etc