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1815 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Hard Head, May 26, 2004

DISSipator

Discussion Starter · May 25, 2004

I have a aluminum boat that I bought new 3 years ago. 2 weekends ago I discovered a small pinhole leak below the waterline.

Looking On the outside of the boat. I found that one of the carpeted bunks on my trailer had polished the paint off. This is where corrosion set in and caused the leak.

Since then I have been dealing with the factory trying to get them to fix it, since the hull has a 5 year warranty.

Today they told me it was not covered because it is caused by electrolysis. However I do not believe I have a short or grounding problem on my boat. And even if I did the warranty does not speak of limiting due to electrolysis.

Have any of you seen something like this? Any suggestions?

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Spots and Dots

· #2 · May 25, 2004

you get more with honey than vinegar...

Try to get a better feel of the warranty from the dealer. Try to get them to honor their product. If you can't reach any deal, and feel that you have a legit claim, get a lawyer.

On the other hand, how much would it cost to fix the hole? If you choose to have the hold patched, make sure the fix won't further void your warranty.

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Hard Head

· #3 · May 25, 2004

Electrolysis can be caused by dissimilar metals in contact with each other. If a steel bolt rubs through the paint, primer, alodine and contacts the aluminum, this can cause the electrolysis they speak of. It has nothing to do with grounds or shorts. Electrolysis is a form of corrosion in aluminum.

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Cru

· #4 · May 25, 2004

I would just bring the boat to a welding shop and have them fix it, must have an arc welder. Should cost about $50 and 30 minutes of your time. Then go fishing.

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Hard Head

· #5 · May 25, 2004

If you have it Heli arced, let me suggest that you treat the area soon after the process with Alodine. Lighty sand the area to bare metal, apply the alodine, rinse, and reapply again, rinse. Dry, primer and paint. I highly doubt that the warranty will cover this hole since it isn't a factory defect, rather an outside force that caused it.

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DISSipator

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 25, 2004

Thanks for the replies.

Hard Head what the heck is Alodine?

And can anyone recommend a welding shop close to the Clear Lake area that is decent?

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Spots and Dots

· #7 · May 25, 2004

I bet Tops and Towers can weld aluminum.....

Just curious, was it a package boat and triler deal? If so, I would revisit the dealer/manufacturer.

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BertS

· #8 · May 25, 2004

I'm surprised.

that with all the psuedo ********, we didn't get a mention of duct tape, or even JB Weld.......

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WT427

· #9 · May 25, 2004

BertS said:
that with all the psuedo ********, we didn't get a mention of duct tape, or even JB Weld.......

Lol, my buddy used duct tape and jb weld for yrs on his bass tracker. Taped it up before every trip, only had to bilge every hr. hehehe

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DISSipator

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 25, 2004

BertS said:
that with all the psuedo ********, we didn't get a mention of duct tape, or even JB Weld.......

LOL
Don't think I haven't thought about JBweld. :rybka:

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Gary

· #11 · May 25, 2004

Electrolysis

Hardhead is correct. Dissimular metals that make contact, will produce Electrolysis. Or Galvanic Reaction. You add saltwater, you have contact. The worse kind. Most outboards, and I cant think of a single boat, that stays full time in saltwater, that doesnt have sacrificial annodes. LOL, Im I right? Prolly miss speellleed a few words.

Zinc.

And Alodine, is like a brush on liquid, that is the very best next thing to anodizing. And if you bought the boat, on that trailer, the dealer should cover that on warranty.

Now, heres another trick. Belive me, this worked on my 14 foot Jon boat. Its called Devcon. Its an industrial grade of JB weld.

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JettyJumper

· #12 · May 26, 2004

BertS said:
that with all the psuedo ********, we didn't get a mention of duct tape, or even JB Weld.......

you spoke too soon... I have used duct tape before on a small 10' jon boat, worked wonders. no joke. I'm serious.

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Hard Head

· #13 · May 26, 2004

Thanks Gary for the summary. That is exactly correct.

Alodine is a liquid that coats Aluminum and helps prevent corrosion. As Gary also mentioned, anodizing, but that process has to be accomplished during the manufacturing of the metal, where alodide can be used as a treatment to areas where the anodizing has been scraped, scratched off the aluminum. We use it on our aircraft to areas that have been reworked due to corrosion and such. If you don't use it prior to painting the repair, chances are the corrosion will return very quickly.

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