Fixing Aluminum Canoe

[PILOON]

I'd pound out the dent with a soft faced hammer and then pop rivet a parch with perhaps a thin rubber 'gasket' between the patch and the canoe.
Alternately I'd be tempted to use windshield adhesive to 'glue' the patch in place along with some rivets.

But then I have repaired many aircraft panels as well as floats so I have some experience in this area.
Were it an aircraft float I'd be using a zink chromate paste to seal and bond that patch but IMHO windshield adhesive would be excellent for a canoe.

 

[opie1988]

Alumaloy Official Home watch the videos, I have used this on an engine head and worked great

 

[check]

Great suggestions, guys - will be checking them all out further!:thumbsup:

 

[TimberHole]

Go to the airport and find a local aircraft home builder. They could river a patch on it using a sealer in nothing flat. Probably wouldn't charge much either.

 

[PILOON]

Another tactic that would work is to use a caulking product called FLEXTRA* which is a polyurethane based product.

Simply smear some onto a suitable sized patch plate and press the patch plate over the wounded part.
I guarantee U that 24-48 hrs later you can not pry off that patch. (OK a chisel will do so)

Box stores sell FLEXTRA in caulking gun sized tubes for about $5.00 +/- per tube.

*very similar to windshield adhesive.

 

[comancheflight]

How about flex tape as seen on TV..just saw your boat in half and repair it with flex tape....yeeedawgies

 

[sixdogs]

I see a lot of aluminum TIG welded around here so if I guy was set up for TIG it wouldn't be that difficult.

 

[coherent]

I've tried the aluminum rods you can use with a propane torch for a boat repair. I used mapp gas. Unless it's something small. You'll never get a large area like a crack or repair on a canoe hot enough. Maybe with a A/O torch. I've tig welded aluminum nearly as thin as soda cans. It shouldn't be an issue or very expensive, especially if you can find someone in your area that has a tig setup and welds at home as a hobby etc. If you were in Arizona, I'd help you out. Worst I'd do is ruin it and you'd have to patch and epoxy it anyway..lol

 

[LD1]

I've tried the aluminum rods you can use with a propane torch for a boat repair. I used mapp gas. Unless it's something small. You'll never get a large area like a crack or repair on a canoe hot enough. Maybe with a A/O torch. I've tig welded aluminum nearly as thin as soda cans. It shouldn't be an issue or very expensive, especially if you can find someone in your area that has a tig setup and welds at home as a hobby etc. If you were in Arizona, I'd help you out. Worst I'd do is ruin it and you'd have to patch and epoxy it anyway..lol

Yes, finding someone that does it for a hobby or works for beer money should be rather cheap.

But taking to a shop.....with the cleaning, grinding and straightening....then welding the crack, then likely forming a patch over it and welding on as well....

Probably a solid $300 since you looking at 2-4 hours

 

[dickfoster]

Agreed! The skin of the wings of a Tomahawk cruise missile are glued to the structure - no rivets. They designed this over 40 years ago and it is still holding. Adhesives done right are amazing.

A scab patch with rivets as Gary mentioned would be the way to go on this one - not pretty but low cost and functional.

Lots of airplane wings are bonded or in other words glued. I'm surprised no one mentions that Flex Seal tape. That silly guy on TV cuts his aluminum boat in half then just tapes it back together maybe 50 times every day.