Aluminum skin corroding


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Old 10-30-07, 07:11 AM
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Aluminum skin corroding

I have a 17' Tracker Deep-V aluminum boat and I noticed that the aluminum on the transom is corroding - turning white and developing a hole. I can see the plywood.

I don't notice this anywhere else on the boat. Any ideas as to what could be causing this?

How can I fix this or patch it so that water doesn't get in?
 
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Old 10-30-07, 01:47 PM
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I know next to nothing about boats, but do know enough about metal.

Corrosion is inevitable over time. Is this boat used in salt water or lakes and ponds?

If salt water, it is critical to thoroughly wash the boat after use.

Also, is your battery anywhere near this transom? Maybe the battery is leaking and acid is getting on the surface.

The only fix would be to cut out the affected area and patch on another piece of the next gauge sheet metal. You would/could wet dip (dip rivets in sealant) and shoot the patch on and then seal all the way around the patch.

You would cut the affected area out into a square or rectangle about 2-4" past the bad area.

Make sure you apply a good primer to the bare metal.
 
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Old 11-06-07, 07:43 PM
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I've only had the boat in fresh water, I don't know if the previous owner had it in salt water or not.

The batteries are located near the transom and they are on permanent trickle charge. I thought about this about a month ago and wondered if maybe charging the batteries while in the boat could be affecting the metal. Two of the batteries were sitting on the aluminum floor so I put rubber under them.

So I need to use a thicker gauge of aluminum when patching. What type of primer and sealant would you recommend?
 
 

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