So, I decided to put the two of them into a more vigorous Head-to-Head test, to see which one is the very best overall. more
See full version: 5200 sealant on rivets for boats
So, I decided to put the two of them into a more vigorous Head-to-Head test, to see which one is the very best overall. more
5.) GOOP comes in a 10 oz tube that fits in a standard caulk gun, at half the price of the same sized tube of 5200, making it much more economical. [links]
4.) The GOOP is also more shelf stable as it appears to last indefinitely after initial use; 5200 needs to be all used at once, or it turns into an unusable brick within 1-2 days. [links]
For years I suggested using 5200 by 3M, because it is commonly used in the industry and has a good reputation. However, I’m the type of person that has never felt comfortable making a product recommendation without using or testing the product myself. I decided it was time to experiment and find out which of the sealants performs best. So, I went out and bought every boat sealant brand I could find, both online and at local hardware stores.
GLUVIT
Pros - can be brushed on and might flow into seams; hard but flexible seal; may enhance structural strength(?)
Cons - has to be mixed; needs to be applied to bare metal; must be painted where exposed to sunlight; 2 coats recommended
I've never used either product, but am hoping I won't need to buy both. They're expensive! Here's my evaluation of each, although I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done similar repairs with either one.
Re: Gluvit or 5200 for sealing rivets & seams in aluminum hull?
Yacht Dr. I know you are right. I have investigated just about everything else for source of small amount of water. My thought was if I temporarily sealed a couple of question areas and the water stopped, then I would know that was the source and do proper fix. I'm hoping to not dismantle entire boat just yet. Although I know I may have to at some point. here
When investigating .. you actually want the water to come in. You Dont want to temp fix .. you FIX .. [links]
Find your leak and fix Proper.. more
I have tried water in bilge. Although I may need to try different slope because I cant get enough water in to reach this point on keel. I have I/O in place and don't want to get water up to starter. [links]
Locate the leak and repair properly.. anything else is just a band-aid repair and your blindly thinking you can put 5200 or 4200 over a leak is only a feel good repair and not a proper fix.
My last boat was a 16' Lund Laker, and it leaked, too. Methinks that is the nature of riveted boats, since they creak and flex more than a welded boat, this is going to happen. I just made sure I had a solid bilge, and flipped it on every hour or so. here
I suppose you could get some high power marine grade RTV and hit the inside of the loose rivets. Not sure which brand to recommend, or if it would even hold up after a season or 2, due to the inherent flexing. [links]
I know not too many folks here have riveted boats, but anyway, what I need help with is two things. Is there a good way to test for leaks? All I can think of is filling the whole damn boat with water which sounds less than optimal to me. Does anyone know how to fix these rivets? Do I need to put some kind of sealant on them? Is there someone I could take the hull to to look at and possibly fix it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. more
To test which ones leak, you could probably grab your garden hose, and place it directly over each rivet, forcing water through (or not). That might take a while to check every rivet, but I am sure it would be faster than filling her all the way up! [links]
So, I have a 17' Lund Prosport. It is a riveted boat and I recently have sprung a leak. It's a slow leak, my bilge probably pumps maybe a gallon or two of water out every few hours on the water but there definitely is a leak. I checked the rivets around the boat and in the identical spot on either side of the boat, a line of rivets are loose. This to me, seems like the first culprit. You can see on the picture below that the line of rivets is kind of half underwater.