AluminumAlloyBoats.com

Chaps, sure does look like the genuine "white metal blast" and that's the key to aluminum's longevity in my experience. Is the process proprietary? or it something you're willing to discuss and explain? looks like it would be worthwhile learning for any builder who wants to produce a quali...

Thanks Chaps, sorry to be air headed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQwSjXlz0k8&t=772s Hope this cut and paste works? Sorry for the inconvenience. Looks to me like a good full hull, all white metal etch, and very few streaks- they're shown rinsing in the video and the dilution of the acid etch...

For any new builder, owner, buyer- this is what needs to happen after the metal work is done, and before any other work- including paint begins. time stamp: 1:34 or there abouts to 2:05 this crew shows the rinsing of an entire boat acid etch. If your builder doesn't do this- then you need either A) ...

Choc'moose, replies to the last post and renewed remarks from previous ones. tapering to a 8o deadrise at the stern. I think its pretty common here, Pacific NW in USofA to measure dead rise from the horizontal line outboard the keel (baseline to some) and then measure upward to the chine so that see...

choc'moose, Welcome to the AAB.com Forum, thanks for posting your design build project. Do you have the Plan View lines- showing the waterlines in a 1' or 1/2' increment to the sheer? I think it would be interesting to see the volume change in waterline/water plane outlines from the top? How does sh...

Sparky508, Reading the post from the builder/co.owner shows what the state of market is compared to what the state of physics and chemistry are. They don't see a need to have their boats remain clean, white metal and free of corrosion- they'd prefer to sell something that is going to begin 'flowerin...

Bill, welcome to the AAB.com Forum. We don't see that many smaller skiffs here, the main readership is focused on welded plate boats, that usually implies a little bigger hull but I'll try to reply to your post. Don't know West Marine's 2 part epoxy so I can't speak with much surety.... does it dry/...

Sparky508, If the boat is not etched, then it will shortly begin to show white flowers of corrosion induced by water vapor being held in the mill scale- promoting crevice corrosion. By etching (Zep-a-Lume, Aluma-brite, acids; or very strong bases) the mill scale is removed and flushed. Sorry your bu...

Trout, for what it's worth; the reason forward raked windscreens came about was green water on the foredeck. In the later 50's and into the 60's many Seattle fishermen had found the crab fishery of the Aleutians and converted old halibut schooners to reap those tonnes of gold. But those schooners ha...

Lakesurfer, Welcome to the Forum, glad you dropped by, and I hope someone here has some help for your questions? My first remark is that any boat is only as seaworthy as the Skipper and if you're going into salt water in a 16' skiff- where your description of the weather is true?? then you might wan...

Ted, something else occurred to me looking a the picture of the transom hold down and the bubbles/blisters in your a paint. What if the area around those tie down transom penetrations were soaked? (not unreasonable to assume- even if they were sealed in calk) The cadimium plating or even SS or about...

Ted, the age of boat is plenty of time to get the transom 'board' saturated with water and therefore, a T'Trout suggests to pit from the inside out and bleed some water into a space under the paint film. By very close inspection of the pitting you're showing (magnifying glass 5X or greater) you will...

G&R, I thought CraigB was being sarcastic about the way many people view the trades? And I agree that lots of people think working with your hands isn't 'cool'. But we all know that the average plumber or welder makes a better living than a huge number of in-debt college graduates! When growing ...

Slug420, the shortest answer to your question can these boats be made to look just as the did when originally out of the shop is No. Not exactly like that. But, there a several ways to completely refinish the topsides surfaces to 'erase' the wear and discoloration. All of them are labor intensive an...

G&R, I did edit my post few times! Chaps always encourages me to be more even toned and less of a ranter! Thanks Chaps. Here's the rant! I was ranting against the gummint schools that no longer teach trades, or seem interested in teaching about commercial fishing, boating, marine science in gene...

This topic is not complete rant, but fair warning it may contain elements some could consider a rant? I noticed a news article today that mentioned there were only 13,000 home schooled young people in the 1970's but there are more than 5,000,000 now. And that lead me to remark (here) about the idea ...

Brent, Sounds like your friend will have some insight into the various paths to the hull that stray current might take? Remember if the path is wet that there won't be any resistance to speak of? Getting a 'megger' (high resistance meter) might be a help if he's an EE he might know a contractor to b...

The wiring was done, some by the manufacturer and ,others when the motor was installed.I installed some lights and a sounder/gps.I wired all the grounds to the same ground as the rest of the wiring.I do not know if it is grounded or Isolated from the hull.I will check it out What is the saying abou...

Brent, As to the difference in wet blasting with silica sand or glass (crushed, fused silica sand particles?) I can't really compare them unless I knew their relative pressures and particulate hardness? But I think the silica sand in water would be 'softer' and it sounds like you can do it yourself ...

Skiff, I'll try to reply? and to be helpful. However, its very hard to reply when you use open ended terms and references? We don't know what 'dustless blasting" is? so not sure how we'd reply to your question? If you provided a link, or a quote of a description I might try to reply but since I...

Ssea'26, what about https://www.marinetitle.com/resources/h ... ecoder.htm might help decode the HIN?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

IBoat, welcome to the AAB.com Forum for welded plate alloy boat enthusiasts. Good plan, any plan that includes designing and building your own welded aluminum boat is worthwhile IMVU-bO; (in my very unbiased opinion)! Being a graphic designer will probably help you learn to draw the boat in one of t...

ICB1, sure don't know anything about that boat but would sure enjoy lots and lots more pictures! Lots of interesting design ideas shown there.

Hope you'll take time to bring the Forum along for the ride?

thanks for posting,
Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

NorthWest, I've seen cabins with spray urethane, and close celled neoprene of different types as well as sheet styrene and various other products to help insulate AND to reduce sound. As long as they're well adhered- and vertical or overhead- they've all seemed to be functional and not to create cor...

Capt'n PJ, sorry to hear your carcass is aging like so many others'. (Mine too) Glad to hear you're working to patch your 'hull' (aging body) and get back on the water on your own personal boat. Acids, or aluminum brighteners can help clean old coatings off marine aluminum. Zep-a-Lume is a great aci...