Rivet Q for 1993 Tyee 1850

[jlake1958]

I am closing in on the finishing steps on the restoration of my 1993 Tyee.
After being apart for a year and a half, I have forgotten what type of rivets were used to attach the outer rub rail to the formed aluminum that is the gunnell. I have heard people talk about pop or blind rivets for these vertically oriented holes but I am not sure. The extrusions that are the long aluminum forms that the rubber strip lies in are pretty tough to re-form....lots of lateral resistence right at the "corners" of each console. I am wondering if the rivets right at the console corners are 3/16 SOLID rivets and the rivets on the straighter, lower resistence portions are regular or sealed pop rivets.
Does anyone recall or know about this?
Of course it begs the next question which is "how does one essentially "clamp" the entire boat right at the consoles? Kinda thinking of getting crazy with ratcheting tie straps :^}

 

[left foot]

Ratchet straps absolutely work for clamping, I've used a combo of straps and some padded wood blocks wedged against trailer supports to pull the extrusion into place without mangling the finish. You'll need every hand (or clamp) you can get when you're lining it all up if you're trying to do it solo.

 

[jlake1958]

Ratchet straps absolutely work for clamping, I've used a combo of straps and some padded wood blocks wedged against trailer supports to pull the extrusion into place without mangling the finish. You'll need every hand (or clamp) you can get when you're lining it all up if you're trying to do it solo.

What ended up working was using large welding clamps with wood to cushion the extrusions and applying them as close to the front of the consoles as possible. Then a second clamp as close as possible to the back of the console. This allowed 3 3/16 stainless structural blind rivets (with washers) to suck in well against that extrusion on each side. Took 2 of us to get it done

 

[jlake1958]

What ended up working was using large welding clamps with wood to cushion the extrusions and applying them as close to the front of the consoles as possible. Then a second clamp as close as possible to the back of the console. This allowed 3 3/16 stainless structural blind rivets (with washers) to suck in well against that extrusion on each side. Took 2 of us to get it done

Adding to this. This morning I examined the quality of the blind rivets I installed yesterday. I don't like how shallow some of the rivets are anchored on the inside of the boat. The rivets I originally used had a grip range of .062-.256 which while technically an appropriate length, I feel they are a bit short. I ordered another 100 with a grip range of .062-.457 with the idea of replacing the critical rivets around the consoles and then those that seem too shallow. Just an update and observation