AluminumAlloyBoats.com

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...

dave,
with the long straight lines of discoloration and corrosion, wonder if this was trailer bunks w carpet issue? The (color) lines are confusing because of the lack of context- Dave when you figure out how to post images, hope we'll see more of the wider view?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

TinCup good choice of vinyl the raised rounds will drain and also allow the rest of the area and not allow standing water to deareate. can use spray paint on rusted areas ; Cold Galv in a can to help those areas where the U bolts or brackets wear off the zinc coating on cross members or bunk bracket...

tincup, hope by saying "everything is directly grounded" you mean that you ran DC Neg Return legs back to the trailer's power distribution junction box for all the trailer loads, brakes included!! And NOT that you used the trailer frame as a common bonded "ground" ? Of course, wh...

ARERHODES, in this category on threads listed below of similar subject are very detailed methods and discussions of your boat's problems and potential cures. Chaps, a Forum Member with a bottom paining service in the Puget Sound has a very clear step by step guide to the work needed to stop the corr...

AKJourney, Those 'pumice stones' are anodes!!! I might be wrong as I've NEVER (EVER. EVER!!) seen such massive zincs on a hull this size and the holders are a complete mystery to me. Maybe our resident anode and bottom coating expert, Chaps will drop by? He will have more insight into what kind of v...