Gluvit

[runner]

Has anyone used this product? It claims that the thin epoxy will penetrate cracks and seal seep leaks on aluminum boats. A friend used a similar product on his Jonboat with very good results. I am considering using it on the keel and around the centerboard of the aluminum sailboat I just bought. I did a search and someone asked a few years back and never got any response. At 110$ a gallon, I would like to get some feedback before purchasing. Thanks in advance!

[Warren M.]

This product can be used on wood, fiberglass, and aluminum. I've used it to patch small "soft" spots in the balsa core of previous fiberglass boat I used to own. I drilled some small holes and injected it in. It seemed to work well. I have not used it on aluminum, however. Here is a quote from their site, fyi:

"On aluminum hulls, Gluvit seals seams and rivets and acts as a barrier coat to minimize galvanic corrosion. On jet skis, rowboats and canoes, Gluvit provides abrasion resistance to protect hull sides and bottoms from damage by grounding on beaches or rocks."

[CalebD]

I used this product years ago on a 14' fiberglass day sailor that I still have. It worked well as a poor mans 'barrier coat'.
If you buy a quart sized container of Gluvit you can probably coat all of the hull below the water line as well as your center board trunk.

[Trekka]

I used to own a twin keel boat with external iron keels. I coated the keels with gluvit, then put antifoul over that. Worked great, no rusting. After about 5 years sanded down worn spots and applied more Gluvit to those areas. Did same after about another 5 years plus did an overall coating again. I knew lots of twin keelers who tried various rustproofing paints and such and they always had rust. No problems for me with Gluvit. I put it on thick, btw.

[runner]

The boat I bought has a variety of materials from crumbly resin type material all the way to rubbery caulk in several colors that has been used to try to seal the keel. Removing the keel is not an option. This is a 16 foot open cockpit day sail type hobby boat and what it would take to remove this keel and put it back would cost several times the value of the boat. The Gluvit product sounds almost perfect for what I need to do.
I am considering injecting it thru the plate using a grease gun and grease fittings that can be removed later. So far it seems like the closest product to what this boat needs. A ratchet grease gun can produce several thousand pounds of force, so getting it in there to do the job is not a problem. I am considering injecting it under the keel and then coating the entire bottom with several coats using it as a fairing compound.
Thanks for the info guys! I am studying on the best way to fix this boat with aq pretty much permanant fix. If that doesn't work, this boat would need a new custom keel or a complete glass or carbon fiber job on the lower hull. I think that much weight would pretty much kill the other good things about the boat like the fact that two strong men can launch it without a ramp. If I can get it clean enough, I might be able to lead it and then cover it with several coats of the Gluvit material to fix the problem. I am open to suggestions!
Thanks for your time and help!

[foxstan]

This is a very good product and not a poor man's solution to leaks in aluminum in the very least. We use it on aluminum boats with 100% success. It expands, contracts and flexes very well with aluminum. I have used it on power boat hulls and aluminum fuel tanks (exterior) to prevent corrosion on the tank. Just purchased another aluminum boat yesterday and plan on pulling up the floor to coat the rivets and seams before I take it out.