Repairing leaky rivets on a Bass Tracker

[Dan Koller]

I have a 6 year old Bass Tracker Pro that's taking on water. This problem
got progressively worse last year. The bilge will fill with water in about
2-3 hours unless I pump the bilge every 1/2 hour.

I've located ~ 6 rivets that are loose along the center beam. What is the
best way to repair these bad-boys. Someone suggested drilling the rivets
out and replacing with screws and compound. In the Cabela's catolog, there
is an aluminum boat patch that is applied with a heat torch.

Thanks for any help!!!

[Bill McKee]

Two ways. Either drill out the offending rivet and get some replacement
rivets and re-rivet. Or get Gluvit (West Marine carries is) and coat the
rivets.
Bill

"Dan Koller" <dwko...@home.com> wrote in message
news:GA676.14677$mF.37...@news1.rdc1.md.home.com...

[MMccoy01]

If you can get to both sides of the rivets, have someone hold something like a
heavy sledge hammer against the outside of the rivet and hit the other side
with a smaller hammer. That might tighten them up enough to stop the leak.

The hot melt epoxy sticks won't work well on rivets.
Mark McCoy
<a href="http://members.aol.com/mmccoy01/index.html">McCoy's Online Tackle
Store</a>
Bumpus Mills, Tennessee

[Robert Longshore]

I've had several rivets on my Bass Tracker John boat work
loose, and actually shear. I've had the attached structure
tack welded down, (with a tig welder) and had the rivet heads
welded to the skin. This seals them permanently. If you
replace the rivets, and they have worked in the hole badly
enough, you may need to go oversize.
Center punch the rivet, drill off the head ONLY and then
drive the remaining part of the rivet out of the hole with a
pin punch. Fit check the rivet hole with a standard rivet, and
if it is loose in the hole, go oversize. Use a rivet that is
about 3/16" longer than the thickness of the material. When
you are done bucking it, the bucktail should be about 1/8"
thick.
Use a drill bit that is just slightly larger than the new
rivet diameter to open up the hole. You may need to use a
number or letter drill to achieve this fit. The idea is to get
a fairly close tolerance fit. Also, if there are multiple
layers of material that are being riveted together, ensure
they are tightly clamped together, so that the rivet doesn't
expand between the layers of material- just within the hole
itself, and on the "bucked" end of the rivet (the flattened or
"upset" end.) Clamp before drilling so the hole is straight.

You can "paint" the rivet stem and under the head with a good
quality sealant prior to driving them, and drive them "wet".
The addition of sealant will help ensure a water-tight seal,
but will be messy. This is how we seal aircraft fusalage
repairs. I use leftover Thiokol sealant from aircraft repairs.
PR1422 works really well. If you can't get this, ask your
local marina what they seal aluminum patches with.

Good luck!

B3--

------------------------------------------
Robert E. Longshore
mailto:baa...@athenet.net
------------------------------------------

[Dan Koller]

Thanks for the info:

Unfortunately, these rivets are not accessible on both sides. Is leaving
these rivets in place and welding the support and rivets an option?

Thanks again,

Dan Koller

[Robert Longshore]

Dan Koller wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info:
>
> Unfortunately, these rivets are not accessible on both sides. Is leaving
> these rivets in place and welding the support and rivets an option?

Could be, but if you can get at the support structure, you
should be able to buck a new rivet as well- unless the rivet
is inside the support structure, (IE: channel brackets,
stringers, etc.) requiring the use of a custom made bucking
bar, or an off-set flat tipped rivet set in a throttled air
hammer, with a concave surface bucking bar held on the head
of the rivet.
If this is the case, opt for welding the support structure
down to the skin and weld sealing the rivet head, as the above
mentioned equipment is just too much specialized equipment for
the average boat owner to come up with. We have to do it all
the time in aviation maintenance, but it's a different world
there.
Make sure there is a good bead all the way around the rivet
head, and that the support structure is held down tight to the
skin before welding it. Also ensure that the material surface
(inside and out) is clean of all grease, dirt and paint before
TIG welding.

[Bass Masterson]

Dan, I know the aircraft industry has some very good rivets and all kinds of
different ones. If you can try to talk to someone that repairs aircraft
structures, they may be able to point you in the direction of some special
rivets that will do the job from the outside of the hull!? We have a
warplane museum to the south of the city here and this just crossed my mind
because they were repairing/restoring some vintage aircraft when I visited
them a couple of years back. Hope this turns out to be a good idea for your
hull!
--
Steve from Stony

"Dan Koller" <dwko...@home.com> wrote in message
news:GA676.14677$mF.37...@news1.rdc1.md.home.com...

[Robert Longshore]

Bass Masterson wrote:
>
> Dan, I know the aircraft industry has some very good rivets and all kinds of
> different ones. If you can try to talk to someone that repairs aircraft
> structures, they may be able to point you in the direction of some special
> rivets that will do the job from the outside of the hull!? We have a
> warplane museum to the south of the city here and this just crossed my mind
> because they were repairing/restoring some vintage aircraft when I visited
> them a couple of years back. Hope this turns out to be a good idea for your
> hull!
> --

Steve-
Usually, we don't use blind rivets for a pressurized (or
watertight) application. They are usually only acceptable for
non pressurized, non structural application.

B3, airfame and powerplant mechanic for Air Wisconsin--