In order to see the full extent of damage to the hull and deck, we had to remove the aluminum banding riveted along the gunwales. Since half of the rivets had ripped through, drilling out the rest was fairly quick.
After drilling out the rivets, I used a large flat head screwdriver and a rubber mallet to tap the banding off.
"We'll there's your problem."
After a jaunt over to West Marine for some Marine Tex and pirate stickers, it was time to start prepping the surfaces. We used a combination of 150, 200 grit sandpaper and a metal file to clean inside and out.
Chef Andrew shows perfect form.
And now the hero of our story appears. A true knight in shining armor.
We worked a thick, gloopy consistency of Marine Tex between the deck and the hull and then all around the edges as heavily as possible.
The trick now was to devise a clamp arrangement that would hold the seam flush on both a horizontal and vertical axis. Thankfully, I have plenty of vices.
We employed two 24" clamps together to span the horizontal axis.
It was getting dark, so we decided to start the grill. First course: Bacon Burgers and pickles. Then Brooklyn Brian got it done on some country ribs which were expertly paired with PBR cans by Sommelier Andrew.
Captain Longbone inspects the repair closely.
The recommended drying and curing time was twenty four hours, but considering the structural importance of the joint, we left the clamps on for about two days. Next up, Sanding.
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