# Fixing a 1/2" hole?



## Scott85 (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm looking an 18' jon with trailer for $500 bucks. Both have clean titles and both have been sitting for 11 years. The boat has 3 1/2" holes. It's 2 and 1/2 hours away, so is this worth the drive? How hard is it for a professional welder to fix these holes?


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## Scott85 (Jul 28, 2016)

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## DaleH (Jul 28, 2016)

Where are the holes located? Above or below the waterline? Any idea how they got there?


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## Scott85 (Jul 28, 2016)

DaleH said:


> Where are the holes located? Above or below the waterline? Any idea how they got there?


 I'm not sure I'm waiting for pictures and the boat was owned by a city so I'm assuming it was used to work on the water. 


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 28, 2016)

I repaired several 3/8" and 1/2" holes in my transom above the water line by taking a 5/8" countersink bit to bevel both sides of hole. Then I made 1.25" patches from .025 thick aluminum. Back buttered the patches with JB weld and used masking tape to hold the patch in place. I put more jb weld in the other side of the hole and covered with masking tape. Then I used a 2 screw wood clamp to apply pressure to the patch. After the jb weld cures sand smooth.


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## DaleH (Jul 28, 2016)

Here's a link to a great flexible epoxy for hull repairs - see https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=40954


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## riverbud55 (Jul 28, 2016)

me i would weld it up, but I own a weld shop,,a lot would depend where and how easy it is to get too,,,, if you can get to the back side/inside would probably be best to put a patch/ backup on the insyde then weld it from the outside, a 1/2'' hole is not that easy to just fill up with weld besides it will look a lot better from the inside and it well be able to be ground flat on the outside and still have the strength to hold up,,,If you were to bring it to our shop it might be able to get done for $50 of less if it was all cleaned up ready to weld inside and out....

getting the boat for 500 sounds like a good deal and boat looks like its worth doing it right the 1st time,,,,,start putting glue on it going to make it real hard and expensive to go back and have it welded 

boat looks like it may be a older g3, back in the day g3 was using treated wood for the transom and the had problems with the transom being eaten up from the treated wood,,,, take a good look and make sure its not looking like swiss cheese/any corrosion


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## fishmonger (Jul 29, 2016)

I removed the factory livewell and plastic through hull fittings on my boat leaving two 3/4" holes below the waterline. I sandwiched the hull between 5200, large rubber washers, large stainless fender washers, smaller flat stainless washers along with 1/4" stainless bolts and nylon locking nuts. Almost 2 years, has not leaked a drop and purchased everything at Lowes off the shelf.


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

So got the pictures. All the holes are in the bottom of the boat.




Is it still worth it? 


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## BigTerp (Jul 29, 2016)

Hard to tell from the picture, but my guess is that one is an old rivet hole. If they are all the same it's an easy fix. Just replace with the appropriate sized solid rivets. Before making the trip though, I would get some pictures of the bottom of the hull to determine if, and how bad, the bottom of the hull is beat up. That looks like a nice open hull to do pretty much anything you want.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 29, 2016)

Mig or Tig weld.


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

BigTerp said:


> Hard to tell from the picture, but my guess is that one is an old rivet hole. If they are all the same it's an easy fix. Just replace with the appropriate sized solid rivets. Before making the trip though, I would get some pictures of the bottom of the hull to determine if, and how bad, the bottom of the hull is beat up. That looks like a nice open hull to do pretty much anything you want.


 they are about 1/2" holes so they aren't rivets. 


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

lckstckn2smknbrls said:


> Mig or Tig weld.


 if everyone thinks it a deal I will get the boat and take it to a welder so they can tig weld it. 


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## jethro (Jul 29, 2016)

I can't figure out what those holes were for but they certainly look carefully placed and intentional. Strange.

I still think $500 is a deal. In my area the trailer would fetch close to that alone.


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

jethro said:


> I can't figure out what those holes were for but they certainly look carefully placed and intentional. Strange.
> 
> I still think $500 is a deal. In my area the trailer would fetch close to that alone.


 
It was purchased at a city auction, so maybe it was a work boat and they had something mounted it to it. 


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## riverbud55 (Jul 29, 2016)

jethro said:


> I can't figure out what those holes were for but they certainly look carefully placed and intentional. Strange.
> 
> I still think $500 is a deal. In my area the trailer would fetch close to that alone.




yep or more and 30 cents a pound for scrap aluminum  ,,,,, ya know still cant see the holes in that pic :? ,,,,,,,,,,, that pic looks even more like a G3 but they all kinda look a like,,back in the day g3 has had to replace a lot of boats because of corroded transoms/hulls from pressure treated wood,,, ya know the brand of boat????


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

Polarkraft.


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

This is the hole.






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## richg99 (Jul 29, 2016)

Given your distance from the seller, I'd be worried that the trailer/tires/wheels/axle/bearings etc. won't be in good enough shape for you to haul it home. Not sure what you can do about that from long distance.

If it was close enough, or if someone could get you some measurements, then you could go to Harbor Freight/Northern tool , etc. and buy a new axle with wheels and everything. You might still run into an issue trying to get the old one off.

????

Hope it works out for you. richg99


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Given your distance from the seller, I'd be worried that the trailer/tires/wheels/axle/bearings etc. won't be in good enough shape for you to haul it home. Not sure what you can do about that from long distance.
> 
> If it was close enough, or if someone could get you some measurements, then you could go to Harbor Freight/Northern tool , etc. and buy a new axle with wheels and everything. You might still run into an issue trying to get the old one off.
> 
> ...



My plan is to check out the boat if I do decide to get it I'll pump up the trailer and go to the tractor supply and replace the tire and wheels and repack the bearing in the parking lot.


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## richg99 (Jul 29, 2016)

Good planning. richg99

p.s. bring a piece of chain for a safety... Old straps and rusty hooks may not be enough.


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Good planning. richg99
> 
> p.s. bring a piece of chain for a safety... Old straps and rusty hooks may not be enough.


 im taking a couple of tie down.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 29, 2016)

Magnetic trailer lights.


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## perchjerker (Jul 29, 2016)

good plan

I dont think the holes will be much of a problem I would worry more about the trailer, sounds like you have that figured out too

the magnetic trailer lights are an idea, I would tape them down for the trip home as I had a set from HF and one good bump on a crappy road and I was dragging them.

If worse comes to worse you could always rent a trailer from U haul and put the rig on it, trailer and all, to get it home, I would not want to mess around trying to replace an axle, that would be a nightmare without a proper place to do it and the right tools


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## Scott85 (Jul 29, 2016)

From the sellers house to tractor supply is 4 miles. 


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## Steve A W (Jul 30, 2016)

An old fishin buddy of mine had an 18' Polar Craft jon boat.
He was the kinda guy that was Grandpa to everybody. I don't know
how many kids learned to fish out of that boat but it was a lot.
It was a good sturdy boat.
I looked for one for a long time and couldn't find any I could afford. My 
budget wasn't that good.  
If I had a chance at it for $500 I'd go for it.
Good Luck whatever you do.

Steve A W


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## Scott85 (Jul 30, 2016)

The boat is junk. I think if he gave it to me free it still wouldn't be worth it. 


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## richg99 (Jul 30, 2016)

Sorry that you had to go a long way and be disappointed.

My experience is that if a boat is in good shape, and properly priced, it will go to the first few potential buyers. 

I've owned over 25 boats. Bring cash and be ready.... is my plan. 

richg99


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## Scott85 (Jul 30, 2016)

I made a camping trip and went to the beach so it wasn't a wasted trip


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## Texas Prowler (Jul 30, 2016)

What made the boat not worth the trip?

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## Scott85 (Jul 30, 2016)

There was about 10 holes below the waterline, another 30 above, there was steel mounted to the boat so there was a lot of corrosion. 


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## Texas Prowler (Jul 30, 2016)

Man that sucks.

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## Steve A W (Jul 30, 2016)

Sounds more like a sieve than a boat.
What a shame, it was a good boat at one time.

Steve A W


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