I bought aluminum pods for my Alumacraft 16 x 48.

I am wondering if epoxying them on is a good idea?

I'm formerly an aircraft mechanic and know my composite stuff, prep and all. I just want to know if anyone has heard of it or tried it, I'm all for learning from others before screwing up myself. The big flat surface area would seem prime for expoxying or some other structural adhesive. I cant imagine thermal expansion across the adhesive layer being a problem since both side of the joint are aluminum sheet.

Thanks for any input!

If I were going to use an adhesive I would still want some kind of mechanical fastener, like rivets. But I have seen some pretty impressive adhesives out there and you do have a really big surface area for bonding. I've never done it but it doesn't sound ridiculous.

I would think if done right it should be fine. Not like they are taking a ton of abuse.

But then again nothing would be wrong with welding them on. If you don't like them, cut them off and sand it smooth.


Sent from my beeper

.... my 14 year old son weighs 255 (6'1"), I guess I could glue it up and have him jump on it... (with a sheat of plywood over the sheetmetal to distribute his weight so it doesnt beer-can) at least if it was going to fall off that would probably be the time. If it did come off I could torch the adhesive off and wire-wheel. Maybe do one and test, then do the other. I'm thinking it would have hundreds of pounds of sheer strength.
The gorilla epoxy webpage says 3300 psi bond strength, and the glue surface area is well over 36 sq ".

From shafting golf clubs I know that a couple hundred degrees will liquify the epoxy, that wouldnt be hard to do with a torch for removal.

I'm hoping someone has tried it! Usually when I do something stupid it seems like the best way to do it at the time... till I realize something vital was overlooked

Just FYI, from Beavertail just now- (fast reply!)

"-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Ziebarth
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 2:01 PM
To: Deborah Fiedler
Subject: RE: Beavertail - General Questions

That is something we have not tried but it would work depending on how well the pods match up to the boat, especially the angle of the transom. The back of the pod should be tipped up about 1/2" from parallel with the boat bottom. See attached instructions. "

I've seen, on a couple of different occasions, all of the bolts and hardware removed from an Armstrong gill bracket on a big CC, with twin 200 HP outboards still bolted on the bracket, and the 5200 that the bracket was bedded with hold the bracket with motors to the hull with no mechanicle support. You would still have to fight like hell to pull the bracket from the boat. Not saying it would ever hold up to the stresses of running like that, but I was still impressed.

I would think if you do your prep work right, you wouln't have any real problems.

The more they act like trim tabs, the more load they'll be under. I'd think you wouldn't want to run a whole lot of chop with them not hard-fastened.

mounted them with four bolts and huge fender washers, with strips of treated 1x6 inside the pods to help distribute stress. I tested how she road. It was good. I removed and applied a thin uniform layer of rtv and then bolt it all back up tight. I coated the bottom with a couple layers of vinyl ester resin ( and touched up a few rock dings on the rest of my bottom resin layer). I believe it's rock solid, but at the same time removable someday if ever needed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oIrTv2 ... ata_player

Btw- my boat is 1436, not 48. the trailing edge of the pods are about one inch higher than the plane of the bottom.

I'd swap the treated boards for standard boards with some regular water seal (Thompson's etc) the chemicals used in treating lumber will degrade the aluminum over time, same reason you don't put treated boards on a trailer for bunks.

If the treated wood was completely sealed where it can't breath it will rot from the inside out. If it was not dried out prior to install which takes a lot of time. Your vid is set on private.

https://youtu.be/fxdJJss0Jis


https://youtu.be/4oIrTv2PGag

Odd, but Youtube wouldnt let me make them public through my phone... couldnt access the settings or publish... but they are published now.

Also, I'll be getting rid of the treated wood, thanks for the warning! I've got some scrap alum around here somewhere.

picture of corrosion starting around the two bottom bolts, and scattered around probably due to fumes
..... y'all saved me some time and money! thanks again!!!

somehow the picture rotated, the two bolts on the left side are the bottom of the pod.

I will have to put alodine on the whole thing... but at least it did not go deep

I know it's probably settled, but I just went through this on my boat.. Research your lumber. Treated lumber that's been treated using eco life process (available at lowes) is safe for aluminum. Also I used 5/16 bolts and 3m 4200 fast cure as my sealer. Got a steal at 5$ a tube from defender.com.