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Badly pitted Grumman canoe!!
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:55 pm
by Warren G
SO like a dummy, I bought a vintage Grumman canoe without giving it a thorough inspection. I got carried away with the brand—. It looked straight, no dings, little use and some built up dirt on one side. I left a auction bid and I won—. After a good scrubbing, I come to find some pretty deep pitting on one side approx 12” by 24” section where apparently the canoe rested on it’s side on concrete. A strong hose actually reveled 2 pencil size holes. I know I should just scrap it but I want to bring it back from the brink. Using a stainless wire brush, I removed all the loose stuff oxidation [img]and now have to decide how to properly clean and what to use to fill the craters. If it was a car, I would use bondo. I considered the new low temp aluminum welding rods but using map gas might warp the aluminum or swell the rivets that are in the area. JBweld marine, alum bond, 3M5200—-skim Coat?
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Re: Badly pitted Grumman canoe!!
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:03 pm
by kmorin
Welcome to the AAB.com Forum, sorry its in these circumstances.
As you might see from the posts and pics? the main boat here is plate so likely a bit thicker and of 5000 series aluminum? Not sure what alloy is used by the stretch formed, pressed boats like a canoe, but is pretty clear the aluminum corrodes in a similar manner?
A bit thin to weld, more or less our typical remedy/repair/restoration methods for plate welded boats. Looks like that entire area will have thinned and already light panel?
I don't have any experience with canoes' hull repair- except helping to tighten some rivets in the keel/centerline of another old canoe. Whatever you decide to do? probably tests patches for adhesion to the metal before 'going for it' over the whole area?
I wonder if a bed liner type of pour on/roll on semi-hardening adhesive film might be the answer? At this point, where your canoe becomes a planter, it might not hurt to try? Maybe put a rivet into the holes? tighten them up with a 5200 type sealant? then apply the bed liner type of material over an acid etched surface- might try to get some primer/allodyne conversion film to stick?
Good luck, wish I knew more about the canoe's alloy and repair work on that type of boat.
Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK