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on my hard I noticed yesterday some of the aluminum is cracked at some of the joints and cracked completely in one spot I know it can be welded but is it something that holds up on a boat or am I wasting my time repairing it

Tom,

Before welding, you've got to carefully analyze why the tower joints are cracking and fix that problem. Otherwise the cracks are just going to reappear...

ill get some picks its kind of weird they are aft center near where my teaser reels were

what are you pulling on the teaser reels,, could it be to much strain or bouncing

only pulled squid chains cant see that breaking the metal before the reel, maybe from when my fat ass was up there putting up the radar

Tube is/was flexing in that area and fatigued.

Kinda like a wire hanger being bent back and forth then snaps easily.

Weld turns the aluminum soft, the welded spot is beefy plus has a support so its rigid and will not budge.
Soft area next to the beef is the weakest link and takes all the motion till it fatigues and fails.

Weld it up and consider adding a tapered gusset to spread out the fatigued area...
or a brace on the teaser to grab both rails.


I'm thinking the fat ass may have been the straw that broke the camels back.

I'm thinking the fat ass may have been the straw that broke the camels back.

ya im getting up there im past my comfortable 295ish mark lol

1962 31,
Just by looking at that small section of the aluminum tubing it's time to replace either the entire tower( lot's of crevice and surface corrosion) plus a heavy weight captain. You might be able to get a few sleeves to go over the broken areas but once the breaks start it time to replace the aluminum. People wonder why I spend extra time with a magnifying glass when I do my surveys, this is one reason. I always make a comment in my reports when I find any type of aluminum pitting or suspected welds. If you don't replace the entire tower/T-top you will be chasing cracked areas forever, it's like cancer, once it's starts it's all over. If that is the original tower/T-top from the 1960's it really time to replace, I have seen 10 year old towers/T-tops that are gone because of lack of a good coat of wax and extra weight that had been added after the tower was originally built. Larger outriggers attached to the tower, heavier radars, life rafts attached to the overhead, tower lights drilled into the aluminum tubing and a bunch of other stupid add on's that the tower was not designed for.
Just my opinion, but it's time to replace as far as I can see. Woody Wax is the best for aluminum surfaces that I have found.
Pete Fallon