Welding Aluminum Boat?

[peter94]

Well hello there everybody. This is my first time using this board and i'm eager to learn alot about welding.

I have the opportunity to buy a 2001 Tracker Targa fishing boat for a good price, however it has cracking of the aluminum welds, and leaks.

I have never welded aluminum before, however I have a Hobart Handler 125 with the MIG conversion, and was wondering if this seems like a feasible repair for a beginer like me to make.

I would of course practice on other matierial first, and have no problem if it does not look perfect.

I do have previous welding experience with success, however I would not consider myself an expert by any means.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Rocky D]

Welcome to the forum Peter , there is a lot of good information here, and we have some fun, too. So join in with your questions, and share your experience. There's no such thing as a dumb or stupid question....we have all had them at one time or another....glad to have you aboard!

Aluminum MIG is usually reserved for thicker stuff, but with practice you make it work. It wouldn't be my first choice, but if that's all you have, you can try it. My thought is, that the MIG will burn through faster than you can control it. TIG would be my choice. You'll have to move fast, I would suspect.
Post pictures of your trials and let us help.

[peter94]

Thanks for the welcome. I dont have the boat yet, but once I get it I will post some pictures. Maybe i'll pick up some aluminum wire and give a few practice tries this weekend

[yorkiepap]

Hey Peter,
You are going to have to really understand the parameters of aluminum welding before you even consider doing it. There is no need to increase the damaged area by doing welding on aluminum if you are inexperienced. You will end up with more expense than you anticipated.

First, your welder isn't ideal to use. You would have to change the liner, or get a completely new MIG gun assembly to use aluminum wire. You cannot use a liner that already has had steel wire run thru it...... CONTAMINATION!!! Aluminum is extremely finicky regarding cleanliness....... aluminums' motto is: "Cleanliness is next to Godliness." The aluminum joints needs to be cleaned with a good SS brush with acetone. You cannot use any tools that have been used for steel such as grinding wheels/discs or even wire brushes. Most who do aluminum welding keep their tools segregated so as not to contaminate.

Next, aluminum runs HOT & FAST!!! You gotta really have some serious seat time to get used to the fast pace of alum. MIG. It's not hard. It just takes xtra steps to understand & comprehend the difference in steel & aluminum processes. I would probably find someone nearby who has done aluminum welding & simply ask him if he would be willing to take you under his wing to learn how to properly weld it. It would really enhance your welding education. Do some searching on the forum for aluminum threads & at least, get some understanding of what is involved.

Denny

[B_C]

Not a boat guy but have welded a few aluminum things together........When ever I weld thin aluminum sheet metal I try to back it up with a thicker piece or copper plate.....As mentioned it will take in the heat and burn through FAST......Even fish plating would be a good choice for a thin repair.......I see boats with LOTS of rivets holding thin areas together......There is a reason for that....

[Pangea]

I'm going to go ahead and tell you no, you can't do it. You would need a very sharp hand and eye to do this and unless you are some kind of welding savant, don't mess it up so bad that it is going to be a headache for a real welder to fix.

There is a grumpy old sourpus on this site called SundownerIII and if you are within driving distance of him and catch him off of his throne, maybe you could talk him into hiring out to fix your boat. He speaks boat fluently and could heal your boat with his flinty stare.

[SundownIII]

Well Pangea,

I did have a colonoscopy done on Friday, and as part of the prep, I did spend a good deal of time on the THRONE on Thursday and Thursday evening.

You're right though, this type of repair is not for the "inexperienced" mig welder.

Frankly, peter94 has not provided nearly enough information for any poster to be able to give him advice.

A lot of factors go into repairing an aluminum boat, especially one with the light gauge material we're talking about here. What caused the "cracks"? Is this a "local problem" (maybe from impact) or is it widespread (caused by fatigue of the base metal). If it's due to fatigue, it's most likely not economically repairable. You'll end up cutting out entire sections and the cost of materials and labor will exceed the price of a new boat.

peter94. If you could provide some pictures, we could make a better assessment.

[usmcpop]

... There is a grumpy old sourpus on this site called SundownerIII and if you are within driving distance of him and catch him off of his throne, maybe you could talk him into hiring out to fix your boat ...

Oh, he's a sweetheart. Been there, met the man. Delightful.

(Disclaimer: I do get the impression that he can get a bit gnarly on occasion. I would ride in a boat he fixed, but I would not ride a boat into some of the places he's been.)

[urch55]

Oh, he's a sweetheart. Been there, met the man. Delightful.

I can only imagine what a hose up the rear will do now.!~!~!

[epjohnso]

Might be bright and cheerful all cleaned out? Of course, he might be in a good mood just with the Versaid and Antivan!

Question about boat aluminum however?
Is marine grade aluminum any different that standard aluminum? Like is it harder? 40xxx or 50xx type of material - Perhaps even 60xx? Should the mig wire be harder or softer than the base metal? Does it matter?

Should the base material be grooved?

Thanks!

Of course, my experience with a colonoscopy was achievement of a personal best! During the procedure they pump you full of "Inert" gas (not to be confused with shielding gas), if you know what I mean, and afterward you expel that gas. The purging probably lasted 30-40 seconds. My wife who's certain I'm extraordinarily gaseous, thought I taken a step closer to the ultimate level with that one!

[peter94]

Ok everyone,

Today I finally got a chance to go look at the boat. There is one puncture in the hull from hitting a rock roughly 2-3 inches long, and another pinhole leak.

Another source of the leak is from cracked welds. We put water into the boat and watched it leak out of the keel on the boat (the very middle rib on the bottom).

I believe these are a product of stress and repeated vibration from banging on the waves. The boats max rated HP is 150, and it had a 150 HP on it, and was taken onto large bodies of water.

I opened a few storage compartments and was able to physically see some of the welds holding the compartment dividers have cracked.

If I buy this boat it will be for a minimal price, and designed as a learning experience for me.

I realize you cannot simply throw some aluminum wire in my MIG welder and just go to town on it, however dont tell me I cant do this simply for the fact that I'm inexperienced. That is how people gain experience is by attempting new things.

Bottom line is if I screw this up so bad i'll just go to the scrap yard and dump the thing off. If it works then I'll have a much nicer boat than I currently have.

background on myself:

Automotive engineering major

Got my first welder for christmas when all the other kids were asking for Xboxes, the next year I asked for a torch set

No professional training on how to weld.

Alot of experience MIG/ARC welding, but would not call myself a professional as I do not have the methodology behind it to back it up, but that is why I am here.

I am hard working and very eager to learn new things

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[peter94]

Just was doing some research and found the hull to be made out of .100" aluminum. Not sure which type though. From what i'm finding this is around a 10 gauge.

[Pangea]

Good luck.

I'm betting against you though. I predict holes in the hull big enough to sling a cat through.

Prove me wrong!!!!

[SundownIII]

Peter94,

First off, I'd be VERY surprised if the material on that boat is 10ga. Likely much thinner.

What you describe, fatigue caused by flexing, has likely trashed the boat. With the right machine (which you do not have), you could repair the "obvious" areas and still not solve the problem. You'll likely be "chasing leaks" for the whole time you own that boat. Most people buy a boat for recreation not aggravation.

Then there are the "don't confuse me with facts, my mind's made up" sort of guys. From your comments, I suspect you may fall into this category. With that said, here are my recommendations:

Buy a tig welder capable of AC/DC operation. I use Miller machines (Dynasty 200 DX or Syncrowave 250 DX)

Buy ten pounds of 4043 filler (1/16" and 3/32").

Buy 100# of 10 ga aluminum sheet for practice. Cut into 2"x5" coupons.

Spend several hundred hours "under the hood" practicing aluminum tig welding.

Now you're ready to "start" on your boat project. This will be a whole new experience, since you'll now be dealing with fatigued aluminum and oxidized prior welds (all of which will need to be ground out). You'll find that an aluminum burr works better than using an abrasive wheel.

After another few hundred hours, you'll ask yourself, "what he he11 am I doing" and take the boat to the scrap yard (or cut it up for coupons) and go and buy a boat to go fishing in.

The boat you're looking at is worth the value of the engine bolted to the transom.

[Pangea]

Peter94,

First off, I'd be VERY surprised if the material on that boat is 10ga. Likely much thinner.

What you describe, fatigue caused by flexing, has likely trashed the boat. With the right machine (which you do not have), you could repair the "obvious" areas and still not solve the problem. You'll likely be "chasing leaks" for the whole time you own that boat. Most people buy a boat for recreation not aggravation.

Then there are the "don't confuse me with facts, my mind's made up" sort of guys. From your comments, I suspect you may fall into this category. With that said, here are my recommendations:

Buy a tig welder capable of AC/DC operation. I use Miller machines (Dynasty 200 DX or Syncrowave 250 DX)

Buy ten pounds of 4043 filler (1/16" and 3/32").

Buy 100# of 10 ga aluminum sheet for practice. Cut into 2"x5" coupons.

Spend several hundred hours "under the hood" practicing aluminum tig welding.

Now you're ready to "start" on your boat project. This will be a whole new experience, since you'll now be dealing with fatigued aluminum and oxidized prior welds (all of which will need to be ground out). You'll find that an aluminum burr works better than using an abrasive wheel.

After another few hundred hours, you'll ask yourself, "what he he11 am I doing" and take the boat to the scrap yard (or cut it up for coupons) and go and buy a boat to go fishing in.

The boat you're looking at is worth the value of the engine bolted to the transom.

I'd skip the part about cutting the metal into 2"X5" coupons and go ahead and cut the metal into boat parts. Use the old boat for practice coupons. Weld the boat parts together to make a new boat and throw what's left of the old boat away.