AluminumAlloyBoats.com

Hello

Sorry about the basic question. I need to have a bow eye welded on. I have a good guy who does propeller repairs, am I crazy to have him weld the bow eye on for me?

He is very convenient and does nice work on propellers. But I don't know enough about welding to know if there are different techniques or materials used.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Cheers

Rick

Challenge, there's not really enough info here to make a reliable reply?

First the welder... prop repair is tedious and usually small welds implying a welder with some decent experience and skill but... if he's not built welded boats before... well then the argument for goes against- and we don't know which is the case?

Next is the boat itself. WE don't really know what is being asked- a bow eye (pad eye) on what bow stem? If the boat is a lighter production boat the stem could be a narrow extrusion where a prop welders' experience could be fine... but..(BIG ??) if the stem were some 1/2" bar between some 3/16" topsides plates? Well, we'd need to discuss the methods and weld that is proposed to answer your question.

Hope we can give some informed feedback; but we'd need to get informed to do that? We'd need the 'W's' (who what where when in numbers and best yet- pictures) to be able to realistically answer what you've asked.


cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

I agree with Kmorin

If he is mainly just a prop welder I'd pass on him for hull structure welding.

Prop work is rather technical small welding and it does take talent he has the skill set I'm sure.

My question is does he have the experience welding that thick of a metal.

Thanks for the feedback, I ordered the eye and will post pictures when it comes in. Also when my prop is done I will speak with him about his welding experience, I know he welds outboard and I/O skegs...

Cheers

Rick

Challenge,
I think the questions come from; what on the boat is there to weld too? If the bow eye (plate padeye?) is say 1/2" plate with an bevel, and the boat's stem is the two topsides plates/panels/sheets of lets say 1/8" or 3/16" then that is one weld circumstance. If the plate pad eye is welded to an extrusion at the bow stem that is another weld, and so forth.

The materials and weld preparation will govern the weld type and that is what you'll need to discuss. In many cases this could require a 300 A TIG or 24-25 Volt MIG weld and that is not needed to TIG props' outer edges. However, it's good news the prop shop work includes cast skegs as they're often thick and need lots of amperage.

Looking forward to pictures of your boat, the install site, and the installation.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

Challenge wrote:Thanks for the feedback, I ordered the eye and will post pictures when it comes in. Also when my prop is done I will speak with him about his welding experience, I know he welds outboard and I/O skegs...

Cheers

Rick

If he does that successfully he has the talent to weld a bow eye on.

Photos





It's 3/8" thick

Now the Hull 1/8":





I haven't spoken with the prop guy yet... but I wanted to get these uploaded...

Also I was planning on using a shackle and a plastic bushing to prevent movement of the shackle when its on the mooring

Cheers

Rick

Rick, my concern is not (now) with the welding but the cast material..... the original bow eye failed by cracking out and it was cast material. I conclude that due to the cracked cross section being crystallized at the surface of the failure areas.

Since a billet/bar/plate padeye would be stronger (material is stronger than cast aluminum) it would look like an better fix to weld on a piece of 6061-T6 bar cut and drilled to the size. I do agree that a plastic bushing can reduce the noise and wear between the clevis thread pin and the hole in the padeye. Just my take on bow eyes/padeyes welded to the bow stem, castings seem a little brittle and weak compared to extrusions or plate materials?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

Kevin the boat was kept on a mooring for 4+ years, w/a stainless hook through the bow eye which wore through the old cast bow eye, Last season I used two ropes up to each of my bow cleats, it worked well and I only really need/want the bow eye to put the boat on the trailer.

I know that the cast cleats aren't ideal but I don't have any boat builders close by who could just weld up & drill a piece of 3/8-1/2 that they have hanging around.

Cheers & happy Thanksgiving

Rick

Rick I think WhiteMetal over in Charlestown can handle that....

http://whitemetalwelding.com/

Thanks Alloy...However My boats is up in MA,



HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!