Anyone ever had dents pulled out of their hull, or more specifically tried pulling them out with a suction dent puller?

Unless it's affecting performance just leave it. Its a duck boat, mines got about 4 pretty nasty ones in it and i can assure you they wont be the last ones.

Reason I am wanting to know, it I can pull them out with a cheap suction cup slap hammer puller from harbor freight, i'll do it, cause i used to run 28 mph easily, even with fishing stuff, cooler, and a 200lb guy, plus i weigh 300 myself, now, I can only do about 26ish even in smooth water with the same or equal load, I can still hit 28 but it's gotta be by myself and empty boat going down stream. Boat is an excel f4 1751swv with a 4500bd.

.100 hull??

You're going to have a hard time pulling a dent out of .125 like you're talking about. Better to get at it from the back side and knock it out.

You do not say where the dents are so it is possible that they are affecting your speeds but it is also possible that you have a small motor issue. If your valve lash is off it can definitely affect your speeds

Or prop could be worn

.100 hull, one big dent im sure is affecting it right under transom, no motor probs, and prop is good. I may have put 20hrs on it since i last ran the valves....the other dents toward the bow are just a pride thing, hate them showing when it's not even a year old boat lol.

Like on the bottom of your hull?
If so it's definitely affecting it, but your gonna need to beat out from the inside

be carefull when your getting ready to knock it out from the inside. don't just go beating the heck out of it. my buddy did that and the first swing he took he broke a weld. take your time and ease it back to place.

Leave dent.

Aluminum is already stretched.

Fill hole with filler (steel flex used to make one-not auto body filler) and then put a bottom coat on it.

Not sure what Gator Glide offers. Check with Frog.

Better in long run.

Then sell that boat and get a 3/16 bottom.

well if money grew on trees I would just sell it and get a new one. Not using filler, won't hold up in water, and painting it or something isn't going to last anytime. It's a 10 month old boat and the paint is already worn off the bottom. The big dent in the rear I can get to, but was just curious if a dent puller would work on the rest.

well if money grew on trees I would just sell it and get a new one. Not using filler, won't hold up in water, and painting it or something isn't going to last anytime. It's a 10 month old boat and the paint is already worn off the bottom. The big dent in the rear I can get to, but was just curious if a dent puller would work on the rest.

Not suggesting auto body filler or paint.

These are specific items made for a boat bottom, and they have proven for years that they will hold up.

Beating stretched aluminum back in to place is just starting a cycle..... It will dent much easier than before.

Money doesn't have to grow on trees to sell your boat and get one more suited for the environment you run. Not suggesting you "dump the boat" or pass your problem on to someone else-just that everyone runs different areas, and some areas can handle the thinner alum and some can't.

Good luck. Hope it works out for you.

Good choice going with the excel...

man ive heard of/seen more excels with dents than anything.

yea, next boat will definitely be a gator trax, but that's another 4k more than what I paid for this one.

Another well thought out selection.

What's this filler y'all are talking about? Not like bondo then huh?

http://www.fascoepoxies.com/products.html

Call them. I think they will recommend their Fas Fair product for smoothing and filling your bottom

I have one small dent in the front of my boat from hitting something....it's actually accessible by opening the front deck hatch and it's right there....right between 2 ribs....is it worth trying to knock back out....it's a small maybe 3"x3" spot?? Or do I just leave it and chalk it up to being a hunting boat and see how long it takes for me to get another??

How difficult would it be to knock back out flat if I were to attempt doing so?? I would be worried about possibly busting the welds near it...like I said it a small spot, easy access, no creases in the dent.