I did try something similar on 2003 with a small amount of success using a length of hardwood.
I have all the usual panel-beaters hammers and dollies (not in pink though ) but, as she's already quite a mess, I was wondering about alternatives like a slide hammer and didn't want to try that if there's a good reason why not. My thinking was that the holes left by a slide hammer, or by the alternative of using self-tappers and a claw-pein hammer or pry-bar, could then be tapped shut while filled with JB Weld.
I hope my new Alpine floats better than my old one!
I think when the pressure would be applied to the self tapper it would just pull through and add another dent.
I straightened the sub frame of a car by attaching a chain to it and the back of a tractor,pulling until straightened out.The car was well anchored.
If the same principle could be applied here,again I don't know the strength of the aluminum bow, a bolt,bow eye attached to a block of wood,metal on the inside and pulled while boat well restrained.And maybe a bit of help with 4x2 and lump hammer on the inside at the same time.
no matter how bad it is,it can always get worse,I'm an optimist
Some thing like that you could drill it and bolt it and use a slide hammer to pull on the bolt, or hire hydraulic ram to push it out,
I think i would be inclined to cut that out and rerivit a new peace in
You never get that straight the metal has stench and when you work metal like that it will become britricle and not managabul
Paul Paul Paul .... What did we say ....stick an engine in and get on the water ....
I like bumps and scratches , they all have some history with them
And imagine never having to worry about jetties and the odd scrap or ding
Patina rules .... And ' the rat look ' should now come into the classic boat world
id rather be a pretend somebody than a real nobody `The River Rats Speedboat Club` " you say shame on me ...I say shame on you "
Hi, you would probably find that the dents will come out a lot easier if you remove the rivets that hold the overlap together. If you then pull apart the joint it will allow each side to move easier. If you lightly tighten slave bolts through the rivet holes before you start to push/pull out the dents it should keep everything somewhere close to fitting together again. A slide hammer would be a lot easier than swinging a hammer from inside. If you can fit a 3/16 or M5 stud onto the end of the slide hammer, drill though the dent with a 3/16 hole (rivet dia) and make an aluminium backing plate to fit inside the hull (5 or 6mm plate) - with a curve to fit the hull, you can bolt through the skin and the backing plate and therefor spread the action of the slide hammer. When you have removed as much of the dent as possible, countersink the outer skin and put in a rivet.
Just be careful as the dent metal is aready stretched and when you pull it out it the excess will have nowhere to go. A few rivet holes may allow you to 'shrink' some metal into. Saphire Products can supply the rivets and in larger shank diameter's if the holes open up.
If it goes wrong you could alway cut the dent out and make a repair patch, but this will not be an easier repair, but not impossible,
or its just a bucket of filler!
best of luck
-sorry Howstar,didn't read your post above, this message just about repeats yours!
Jaguar / Howard, I wondered about splitting the joint and then reassembling with structural blind rivets (which are available in 100° countersink). I also pondered drilling out a couple of rivets and putting the joint under tension while knocking the dents out from the inside. If I remember rightly, the joint is triple thickness as it also has a flange from the central stiffening rib hasn't it?
I appreciate there's going to be some filler in there eventually but I managed to reduce the amount I had to use on 2003 quite dramatically and I feel just glooping it on is admitting defeat as well as producing a weighty patch more likely to break free. I'm also very pleased to hear that my idea of a slide hammer hasn't met with total condemnation! I guess I can always try the slide hammer with a screw point and then move on to bolting through the resulting hole if it opens too much.
Considering the number of Albatrosses out there and that they all lacked reverse gear, I'm sure there must be loads of folks who've had this problem.
I hope my new Alpine floats better than my old one!
If it helps you can use Lance McCormac at Romance of Rust. Is worthwhile talking to him as he's ex RR and has experience with the bespoke bodies available on Astons, Alfas and Bentleys - I was very impressed with some work he was doing at the time I asked him to quote for some work my Mercedes in the 1990s. This work he could do in his sleep and he's very down to earth.
) but, as she's already quite a mess, I was wondering about alternatives like a slide hammer and didn't want to try that if there's a good reason why not. My thinking was that the holes left by a slide hammer, or by the alternative of using self-tappers and a claw-pein hammer or pry-bar, could then be tapped shut while filled with JB Weld. 
I guess I can always try the slide hammer with a screw point and then move on to bolting through the resulting hole if it opens too much.
