I need rivets for the bottom of my tracker

[David Heine]

Ok guys, my tin machine has seen better days. I got a crack running down the keel and now I got rivets underneath her that are loose as a prom dress on prom night. I have a rivet gun, but the rivets I have for it are for fastening down things up in the boat. These rivets that are leaking have big heads on them like carriage bolts. Where can I get these rivets and do I need a specail gun to attach them or how can it be done ? The water is supposed to be on the outside of the boat, not in it, right ?

 

[Bruce Freeman]

They are most likely driven rivets installed with a air hammer (outside) and an anvil (Inside)you can replace with the proper size pull rivet (rivet gun) but before you install coat them with clear silicone and after you install seal the center of the rivet with clear silicone. You will need to get the crack welded before it spreads.

BF

 

[Mark Weichold]

Or you can do what I did with my old TX 17 I had about seven years ago. I took it to Rhino Linings and had the Truck bed lining sprayed on the bottom of the boat up to the water line. This stuff is waterproof, It was gauranteed for life, a bit expensive but ya know what I still see that little tracker on the lake from time to time and I sold it two months after the treatment.



The big undertaking was removing the motor and all the stuff that could break in the boat turning. I hired a crane to come turn the boat over and waaaaalaaaaa they did the job. Afterwords the boat took shock and waves like a glass boat.



e-mail me if you need more info, I tried the refitting of rivets, IT DID NOT WORK!!



Mark

 

[JEFF WHITE]

what you want is drive rivets,they come in 3/16 and 1/4 inch diameter.what they are is a pin in the center which pushes out the backside and flares out 4 spots on the side of the rivet to hold it in the sheet/runner.you hit the pin with a hammer to push it in.they are watertight,but a dab of sealant on them helps.they can be bought through mcmaster carr,but im not sure how many at 1 time you have to buy.



they also come in different grip range also.figure crossember is 1/4 inch,plus the skin is .080,at lest 3/8 grip range.

 

[Paul Jones]

If you fish on SMALL water. Patch it up as best you can. The reality of metal is it fractures a little every time it flexs. Sooner or later it will weeken and crack. The harder a tin boat is used the more likely this is to happen. The crack you see is only were the fractures are big enough to spread the metal. The actual fractured area is much large. Don't believe me? Ask a Metalurgist.



If you can afford it retire your rig, buy a new one. If you can't buy a new one find a used one that that has been gently used. Putting time and money in your rig is putting good money after bad. How do I know? I tried to do what you are looking at multiple times over a three year period. Every time I get the crack fixed it would crack somewhere farther down on the same line. Every time I fixed some rivets some others woiuld loosen. My final fix until I could get a new rig was to put a automatic switch on the bilge pump.

 

[cq]

One thing that will work is use K-monel flat head screws (from the bottom) with lock nuts on the inside (use a good sealant). I had to remove all wood from one of my old boats to have the transon weld repaired. With this I had to remove the transom braces, drilled out the old rivets. I did not feel like investing in an air compressor, rivet gun, anvil, rivets, ect. for eight rivets.

With a friend and a few bucks (they are not cheap)invested in the screws and nuts, it lasted until it was put to rest.

 

[David Heine]

I like that idea with the flat head screws and lock nuts on them. I know some of the rivets are in places where I cannot access the inside of the boat, so I will have to buy a few from that Mcmaster Carr, is that a website or mail order ? I guess I could think about selling her, but man, have I got her rigged up big time. Any ideas on what she's worth ? It's a Pro-V17 tournament 1997 with a 2003 Tohatus TLDI 90hp and Minn Kota Riptide 74lb bow mount variable speed hand control 62" shaft 24 volt 2 Trojans SCS 225's.I have a X-85 on the bow and Lowrance 4800 chartplotter and a Eagle at the helm. Nice big brand new bench seat and a deck extension. Livewell and lots of storage. Trailer is in awesome shape, never in saltwater. 2 spare props. Any ideas on what it may be worth.

 

[cq]

I had to strip the boat so I had acess to all places.

Try nada.com

 

[JEFF WHITE]

this is what a drive rivet looks like.



tell me how many you need and what size you need,3/16 or 1/4".i can access both sizes,in 3 different lengths.more than likely you will need 1/4"

 

[David Heine]

Ya, that is the shape I need, but how will I know what size I need ? I need about 10 of them. let me know and I will buy some off you.

 

[JEFF WHITE]

what diameter,3/16" or 1/4"?ill get you both.

 

[Greg J.]

A small trick that might work before welding the cracks, and once you figure where the crack(s) end, is to drill a small hole (1/8" maybe) at the end of each crack before welding. This sometimes keeps the crack from spreading further when the welding starts.

 

[Nick De Marzio2]

My son's boat had the same problem. Put in a keel guard and covered all the rivets. Worked great.