Need Help With My New Project Boat!!!!

[spanky543]

I recently purchased a 1948 Arkansas Traveler Aluminum boat that has a little work to be done to fix some holes and cracks in the aluminum, but I was looking for a project boat so its ok.  I need to know what you can do to fix the holes that would be waterproof and solid.  I also dont know how to paint a boat, and I would also like some ideas on how to install decking so I can turn the boat into my little bass boat.  So if anyone can help please let me know.  Thanks!

[Grey Wolf]

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You've come to the right place to get your boat updated.I can't help you but a few of the guys will respond when they read your thread.

[92 5 oh]

Hello,

I'm new here too and i was curious what others were doing to fix theirs as well.  I was doing a little reading and from what i've been told if you use a welder you can blow out the hole.  I found a few products like HTS2000 and a 3 in 1 rod called Aladdin (sp?) that is sold by the pound and with these rods all you do is clean around the area to fix, heat it up with a torch like mapp gas and the rod melts into place like soldering wire.  a welding shop down the street said this would be more than enough strength for what i need and they sell the 3 in 1 rod for about $18 a pound and he said i'd have more than enough to fill a few holes and such.  i think you can get a mapp gas torch setup for $20 - $40 too.  

Has anyone tried this?  i've welded and brazed a few things, so i don't think this should be hard.  Are there any other better products?

Thanks

steve

[_tyler_wright_]

Welli can give you a brief tutorial of how to do it.

Jon Boat to Bass Boat:

-Use alluminum angle pieces to make your support for your deck

-Treat you plwood before you put carpet on it with Helmsmam outdoor water treatment or fiberglass resin

-Use indoor-outdoor carpet or marine grade carpet

-Use a outdoor carpet glue

-Use glue and staples(if you want to)

-Make sure all of your hardware is stainless steel(EVERYTHING!!!! Or it will rust!)

-Make sure your boat is atlest 36" at the bottom before decking to tht tops of the bench seats

-Don't deck higher that the bench seats!

-Make sure you do your wiring BEFORE you install all of your carpeted pieces

-When your putting a screw in don't have your hand on the other side of the wood- or you'll have a holw in your finger like i do(powerpro screw+my hand=@%##!

-Make sure you use of plenty of water treatment

-Know what EXACTLY your going to do to your boat before you start sutting pieces(or you'll mess up alot of good wood you would need for something else down the road

-Look at other peoples ideas before you start

-Build your boat how you want it built, because your going to be fishing out of it

How to paint:

I'm not for sure but here is some of what i do know

-Scuff up original paint with 80-120 grit sandpaper

-Use a degreaser to clen

-Spray self-etching primer

-Spray marine grade or automotive paint on it

[Catt]

Weld it and be done with it forever; if your welder is blowing out the holes he don't know what he's doing  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Weld it and be done with it forever; if your welder is blowing out the holes he don't know what he's doing  

The issue I've seen is that some of the leaking rivets can be found under a bench seat or in a place where you just can't get to so that you can get the metal as clean as it needs to be.  Hence the mega blow outs,lol.

For a rivet, you can drill it out and replace it (from the bottom) with a tapered head bolt and be done with it.

For building tutorials, see the link below, I just started putting it together but if you look through past pages in this section, you'll see lots of other rebuilds also.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1206322448

[M-Gunner]

How do you attach the alluminum angle to the boat ?

[XcoM274]

On my boat, I didn't. The deck only touches the floor in fact, and there is a good gap around the edges. A hard wave and you'll send the brackets right through the side of the boat. Essentially, I have a floating deck that only draws support from the bottom of the boat.

[spanky543]

I still need to know how you paint a boat...because I have seen top paint and bottom paint.  Do you have to do anything else to paint a boat since it will be in the water?

[FishingBuds]

First welcome

You came to a good source of knowledge

you can flip thru my build to get some ideas. I mounted my alluminum to the ribs and I explain a bit how I did it.

ask away my friend

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1203805227/0

[spanky543]

I still need to know what the difference is between top and bottom paint and if I really need bottom paint for the bottom of my boat.  Also I need some ideas for making a live well in the boat.  I was thinking a cooler.  How big of one do I need?