Flat Bottom Boat needing upgrades

[Guest bigtex]

Here are a few pictures of the boat that I am wanting to repair.  Any suggestions on how or where to start.  I want 2 decks, front and back.

Please help

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

First question, does it leak?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Then go see what I did with mine.  Full details in post.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1119359773/0

[Guest bigtex]

First question, does it leak?

Yes it does leak a little.  Im tring to fix that.

[Guest bassmaster79]

Hello LBH.  I will be helping bigtex out with his boat since he is so kind as in letting me stay with him rent free.  My question to you LBH is what would you do about the rivets in the bottom of the boat.  That black stuff you see on the bottom of the boat is tar.  I know we will have to clean those off, so what would you use to keep the rivets from leaking?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

There are lots of suggestions on how to fix a leaky rivet. Having tar on there now would make me avoid welding because the metal has to be extremely clean on both sides.

I had a 16 ft once that had 67 bad rivets. What I did was drilled out every bad rivet,inserted from the bottom a "tapered" head bolt with a dab of 3m 5200 on the actual taper of the bolt head and a lock washer and nut on the inside.

Worked like a charm. The 5200 is both an adhesive and a sealant. Bolts never loosen up.

[BassBird]

hey, i don't know how much you want to spend but that rhino lining idea is genius!!!!!!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

RHinolining was a huge let down.  Some people have used it on the inside to seal the boat but added a TON of weight.

On the exterior, it does not hold up unless applied extra thick which again,...adds a TON of weight AND drag.

[Guest bigtex]

Obviously, I am going to have to start with the bottom of the boat.  I will have to replace the rivets after removing the tar.  After the rivets are taken care of I will need to put it in the water to make sure they don't leak.  There are also 2 hair line cracks in the back by the plug.  I will get those welded.  After that the fun will begin.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Problem you'll find here is that those are "Stamped" rivets, "pop" rivets won't cut it.

[Triton_Mike]

Personally,  I would reccomend you get the rivets welded.  All of them.  IT's probably less painful that way.  If your not going to pound it in waves that welding job will probably last you your lifetime and look more professional.  Whatever you do don't use no JB weld or quick fix.  I'm the father of all jury rigs and I've tried that already and it no bueno.  

T Mike

[Muddpuppy]

Have you tried peening the rivets first?  Flip the boat over on saw horses then one person taps them with a hammer while the other holds backup underneath.  I have a friend in Atlanta that does aircraft repair he used to replace ours if we didn't weld them.

[Flatfish]

Mudpuppy is right, peening is the quickest and cheapest way to go, the rivets are loose in their holes and peening simply swells them up. 2 guys can do a 14' boat in a hour, and they won't leak. Different story if the rivet is damages, then it needs to be replaced, but you can buy a box of a hundred for about $5. Did a couple john's 14-15 yrs. ago and they still don't leak.