# Old Aluminum Jon Boat transom rot



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Drill the rivets out, do it right, don’t be scared! You can buy aluminum blind rivets and reinstall them with a sledge hammer for a backer and a modified air chisel tip to mushroom the back side. Lots of Youtube videos showing how.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

For the transom use two layers of marine plywood to get your thickness, cut to shape, wood glue together and use a few brass screws countersunk then polyurethane the outside and edges very well, slide back in and pop the transom cap back on.


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## Howard Cummings (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks I ain’t skeered


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## Boneheaded (Oct 4, 2017)

Brazier rivets are the name of the ones that go thru hull.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Howard Cummings said:


> Thanks I ain’t skeered


I made an air chisel tip to install the rivets by cutting the tip off square and using a 1/2” drill bit to make the face concave then used a 3# sledge hammer for a backer. I drilled a 1/2” indention in the face to hold backup agsinst the head so it would retain shape. A few hits with the chisel and the rivets tighten right up.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Solid rivets, not blind rivets...it’s been 5 years! 
https://rivetsinstock.com/rivets/solid-rivets/small-solid-rivets.html


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

An alternative is to remove the brace as advised then have a heavier one welded in place -then go about re-building the wooden parts with fiberglass layers as well.

As a guy that customized a new aluminum hull -then ran it hard and kept repairing it for about six years (1976 - 1982).

I always tried to make any repairs stronger than what they we’re replacing...


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

I had no trouble drilling out rivets ,then sliding bad wood out from behind brace on lowe aluminum boat sometime ago Don’t imagine it’s much different


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