Aluminum boat riveting anyone?

[trlcavscout]

Anyone here work on boats that can give me an estimate on replaceing some rivets on a Bass tracker?

[redneck122]

Its pretty easy to do it yourself. DO you have a rivet gun?

[trlcavscout]

Its pretty easy to do it yourself. DO you have a rivet gun?

Yes and a bad knee [Rant1] just climbing around to mark the bad rivets killed my knee.

[BPTactical]

Air chisel, rivet nose, bucking bar.
Aviation Industrial Supply for Rivets.
Univair also carries rivets.

Riveting is a craft that requires a deft touch, you have to be able to feel the rivet and know when it is set. A good rule of thumb is the set head should be 1.5 times shank diameter. Letting the gun bounce against the rivet head is a no no and you can cause more damage to the skin with overzealous gun work.
Is the back side of the rib/ seam accessible?

[Great-Kazoo]

Yes and a bad knee [Rant1] just climbing around to mark the bad rivets killed my knee.


I'll rivet the left side, you handle everything else.

[trlcavscout]

Air chisel, rivet nose, bucking bar.
Aviation Industrial Supply for Rivets.
Univair also carries rivets.

The inside deck is aluminum and riveted in. Pulling that to replace/rebuck the rivets is a last resort. I have been looking at the bullfrog rivet kit since my 1/4" riveter is older and crappy. But i am sure i could get the rivets cheaper elsewhere. I will take me a few days just to scrape years of other peoples jb weld and silicone off. Dont get me wrong i would like to tear it down and redo the layout of the livewell and stuff and ad a rod locker but budget/time/knee prevents it.

[trlcavscout]

I'll rivet the left side, you handle everything else.

Cool all the rivets to the front leaking are on the left side [ROFL1] but both sides in the center are leaking to the rear.

[trlcavscout]

Anybody know of a good boat shop that would do this right and not rip me off?

[Mtn.man]

weld em we do alot of riveted boat welding.

[BigBear]

You know, you're only supposed to lose the guns on the lake... Not the boat too! Lol

[BPTactical]

Got a semi trailer repair place near you? Roof skins and uprights are riveted.

The bad part about aluminum boats, frequently to repair a hull the majority of the superstructure/deck usually needs removal.
IIRC "Cherry Rivets" are a sealed rivet that can be pulled similar to a pop rivet.
I may have the name wrong but I do know there is a sealed aviation rivet that will work on a "one side accesible" situation.

[jreifsch80]

Check mcmaster Carr for rivets that's where I buy my bulk Ak rivets

[redneck122]

just gut the entire hull and start over if you want to change the layout. Better to do it the way you want now. I'm finishing a jon boat to bass boat conversion right now. Takes some time, but not too bad. And this is from a guy with two bad knees and a broken hip.

[trlcavscout]

just gut the entire hull and start over if you want to change the layout. Better to do it the way you want now. I'm finishing a jon boat to bass boat conversion right now. Takes some time, but not too bad. And this is from a guy with two bad knees and a broken hip.

I may do that this winter. Get a few more trips out of it then gut it. Unless i can find a good deal on a newer glass boat with a 150 horse or bigger motor [Beer] i think mine is only rated to 70 horse or something like that.

[redneck122]

A 70 hp outboard will make a small alum. boat really scoot. My lil guy (only 10ft) flies with 15 hp!