Aluminum boat restoration

[PAINT]

I recently got into duck hunting, and hunting in general. I don't have a dog to retrieve the ducks so I have had to improvise. I bought an 8' kayak (way to small) from Academy. After hunting i put the kayak in the water and slowly get in and push off of a rock. Things begin to get real sketchy, fast. Especially since it drops off 15-20' right off the bank. After about 5' I lost balance and almost fell in, and my backside got soaked somehow (27-30 degrees). So i aborted mission and came back. Returned the kayak to Academy and got on craigslist looking for a new means of transportation. I found a 12' aluminum flat bottom boat for a reasonable price. 1970 Sears gamefisher, real classic. Talked the guy down and went and picked it up, knowing i'd need to do work without even looking at it. So far iv'e put 20+ hours alone just prepping it. Some of you might think that's crazy, but I enjoy projects. Here are some pictures of what i have done so far. Thought some of you might be interested.

Tried it out on the water

Sanded and grinded all the paint and what not off

Testing the JB Weld out. I don't know what the previous owner did with the plug and hole. The hole looked like an egg, and he rigged a bolt with a bunch of rubber washers.

JB Welded all the rivets and plug hole

Off to the paint booth

First coat of primer

So that's how far i am as of now. After the primer cures i plan to put a thick coat of a bed liner type material on the bottom and sides.

 

[Boehlertaught]

Looks great so far.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Well played kind sir. Coming along nicely

 

[becker_atc]

I hope you are only putting the bed liner on the inside. I cant see the pics right now since I am working but if it was on the bottom I think you would really learn to hate it if you ever gotta drag it across sandbars and just be more friction dragging it up the bank, I would want to coat it with something slick as possible. The air boats guy up by my parents all have a polly type insert on the bottom of thier boats. maybe a good tough epoxy paint would be better. my jon boat is mostly shiney on the bottom, never had the need to coat it and it has not had an easy life. Just my thoughts from running these things up and down rivers and creeks catfishing in the summers and sometimes duck hunting

 

[PAINT]

Thanks guys!

I hope you are only putting the bed liner on the inside. I cant see the pics right now since I am working but if it was on the bottom I think you would really learn to hate it if you ever gotta drag it across sandbars and just be more friction dragging it up the bank, I would want to coat it with something slick as possible. The air boats guy up by my parents all have a polly type insert on the bottom of thier boats. maybe a good tough epoxy paint would be better. my jon boat is mostly shiney on the bottom, never had the need to coat it and it has not had an easy life. Just my thoughts from running these things up and down rivers and creeks catfishing in the summers and sometimes duck hunting

The problem with that is there really is no sand, just a little right where the water is. It's just a bunch of rocks so we have to carry the boat to the water. Otherwise yes, i would just do an epoxy paint. I'm doing the bed liner material to better protect it from the rocks.

 

[becker_atc]

I hear ya there for the rocks. Prolly a good idea for that. I have not had many run-ins (literally and hypotheticly) with rocks where I take mine but i do have a gouge or two on the bottom from a few...and had to file the prop a few times. Need to start looking for another one and a trailer as that one primarly stays at the farm, it is on the arkansas river.

 

[PAINT]

I hear ya there for the rocks. Prolly a good idea for that. I have not had many run-ins (literally and hypotheticly) with rocks where I take mine but i do have a gouge or two on the bottom from a few...and had to file the prop a few times. Need to start looking for another one and a trailer as that one primarly stays at the farm, it is on the arkansas river.

Normally that wouldn't be a huge deal, but when it's freezing out side i can't imagine getting hole gouged in the boat haha. Lucky, from what ive heard and read Arkansas is great for duck hunting.

 

[cvrx4]

Google steelflex.

The boys over at tinboats.net swear by this stuff on the bottom of aluminum boats. It is also a great forum for all things tin boats.

 

[becker_atc]

Im my experiance you would really have to hit something HARD to gouge a hole. But I won't say it couldnt happen because the next time I am out in it it will happen lol.

Yes the Arkansas can be VERY good hunting. We are in the big bend south of Ponca City. Was up deer hunting last week on the river bottom thinking I should have been duck hunting instead of deer hunting. Lots of birds. May try get up build a small blind and see if I still have my decoys up there or not next week. Now just need someone that knows duck calls.....

 

[PAINT]

Google steelflex.

The boys over at tinboats.net swear by this stuff on the bottom of aluminum boats. It is also a great forum for all things tin boats.

I did and didn't find much. Currently searching tinboats.net. I chose JB Weld because we sell it at work, its inexpensive, easy to use, and ive heard good things about it.