New Skin for an old hull

[marshmaster pat]

I am curious if anyone knows of anyone has pulled the old aluminum off a riveted hull and just replaced the sheet aluminum. I know they do it regularly with aircraft, but never heard of it happening with an airboat.

You Florida airboaters, do they do this over there. I know someone looking at getting a new hull due to corrosion of the skin, but the structural stuff looks great. It would be slow due to having to crawl inside and drill the holes and rivet, but it seems fairly straight forward.

Anyone you would recommend, they are considering a new hull and it seems like new skin would be cheaper since the frame is already made.

 

[RJ]

Pat, I asked Sean about that. He didn't say much about it, but the way he sounded it seems it would make more sense just to build a new boat. I'll ask him and get back to you.

 

[marshmaster pat]

I was thinking they would drop off the hull with the cage, stand, polymer, and skin removed. If you paid someone (a builder) to do that, then it would probably cost you. But if they just a had the frame as a bare skeleton, it would be fairly fast, clamp the metal in place, set a few holes and install a few of those clecos in place to hold it. Seems like it would be a fairly easy job for someone with experience like building a few hulls.

I have helped with some riveting on aircraft, just with replacing old skin and putting on new skin on some of these kit planes.

One man could probably shear all the head of the rivets in a couple of hours.

May just contact Kline or one of the others to ask about it.

 

[cowboy]

I know why Sean did not say anything about it, because he helped Tooten do a hull for us, and was bitchin about doing such an ugly repair.

That was just a new bottom cap down the middle, transom, and back deck. Temporary supports were needed to hold the shape of the sides at the rear. It was a tough job, but they got it done, and done as good as anyone could.

Having to re-skin the bottom and sides would be very close to building a new boat.

I wonder if the cancer could be cut out, and patched over with extra width riser caps? That would be a whole lot less work, and easier to convice someone to attempt.

Most people demo rivets with an air hammer, and chisel. Drilling them takes to long, and will usually render the hole less than perfect for a new rivet. Just chisel the shopheads off, and knock the rivets out with a drift puch, should they remain in place.

 

[marshmaster pat]

Cowboy - Yes, I just used a air chisel and it takes about 5 seconds per rivet to cut the head, and another 10 seconds later with a drift punch. Sometimes, once you get some free, you can just hit the side with a hard palm slap and the old rivets pop loose.

That is an option and we have considered doing it ourselves. It is just that the part with the riser cap is the hardest part to fit, especially if you run the piece around the front of the bow. Seeing we are a long day drive just one way to the central area of Florida, it would seem that if we ever planned to get them repaired, getting a whole new skin would be the way to go.

However, one of the hulls has gone crazy with corrosion. Don't know what is the problem, but it is so bad that around the deck rivets ratter loose in the holes. Areas all over the bottom skin, the transom, and deck look like they have been sandblasted hard in limited locations. It is crazy. We all are scratching our heads in wonder. It even has a anode on it.

I just need to go see those guys build the bottom portion of a hull. Seems like it would be easy to reskin but ignorance is a blessing most the time. Ha ha

 

[RJ]

Pat, When I asked Sean about the riser cap, he said you don't want to remove it. I think he said, that's where the strength is and it would be too difficult to repair.

 

[marshmaster pat]

RJ - I cannot figure out why it would be that hard to fix. Seems so simple to replace. Shear the rivet heads, take off the riser cap, bring to a machine shop and have another wider one made. Put the new one in place, drill out holes and reattach.

I guess ignorance is great sometimes. I often over-estimate how easy jobs would be.

I know there is a fellow in Louisiana that has done that a few times. I guess I need to go spend a week at Capps, Kline's, or Sean just to watch them. LOL