Cabin sole (floor)
Verfasst: Freitag 8. Juli 2011, 21:37
Hello:
Of the four or five Ballads that I have seen they all seem to have very flexible cabin soles or floor pans. There also seems to be a tendency for the sole to crack at hard spots where they attach to the hull or other support members as a result of the flexing. A lot of people use carpet or wood overlay to cover up the problem but I have had success recently in stiffening up the sole by squirting expanding foam into the crease between the under side of the sole and the hull. It is quick, cheap, and easy. The sole has much better support now with just a liitle bit of give and hopefully no tendency for future cracking. I have ground out the cracked areas and repaired them with fiberglass cloth and fairing compound.
I recall that when I was shopping for a Ballad the condition of the cabin sole was one of the first flaws that I noticed. This fix may help maintain the long life and appeal of the Ballad.
Tony Allport
Pleiades #191
Of the four or five Ballads that I have seen they all seem to have very flexible cabin soles or floor pans. There also seems to be a tendency for the sole to crack at hard spots where they attach to the hull or other support members as a result of the flexing. A lot of people use carpet or wood overlay to cover up the problem but I have had success recently in stiffening up the sole by squirting expanding foam into the crease between the under side of the sole and the hull. It is quick, cheap, and easy. The sole has much better support now with just a liitle bit of give and hopefully no tendency for future cracking. I have ground out the cracked areas and repaired them with fiberglass cloth and fairing compound.
I recall that when I was shopping for a Ballad the condition of the cabin sole was one of the first flaws that I noticed. This fix may help maintain the long life and appeal of the Ballad.
Tony Allport
Pleiades #191