At 09:35 AM 11/7/2010  -0700, Mark L. Hineline wrote:
>Or, tape it up with duct tape, as David suggests, and motor on.

Hey!  I didn't *suggest* it, just offered it as an alternative.  Duct
tape would actually be very poor in this application, because it
dries up and falls off in the sun.  If it were underwater it would be
different -- my family had an aluminum skiff from Monkey Wards that
got fatigue cracks at a number of the rivet holes on the
bottom.  Enough that it would fill in a few days.  Every year for
twenty years it got its new application of duct tape (the old would
have fallen off over the winter) and was happy as a clam.

3M aluminum body tape -- three layers maybe and burnished onto the
degreased surface -- I expect would be just fine with a lick of paint
over it.  Not strong of course, but it would stay put, and it molds
nicely to gentle contours.

Whether that's a repair or a Band-Aid depends on your philosophy.

Yours,
David