On to the Turtle Deck

[BobDz]

Is anyone else besides me bothered by the turtle deck skin being inside the aft fuselage side skin and creating a joint the can allow water in. Any rain on the turtle deck goes into that joint. If the turtle deck skin was over the aft fuselage skin, it will shed water - just like shingles on a house roof. I have this fear that I will do it per plan, then cringe every time I look at it.

[daleandee]

Is anyone else besides me bothered by the turtle deck skin being inside the aft fuselage side skin and creating a joint the can allow water in. Any rain on the turtle deck goes into that joint. If the turtle deck skin was over the aft fuselage skin, it will shed water - just like shingles on a house roof. I have this fear that I will do it per plan, then cringe every time I look at it.

The first Sonex I owned was built like you are wanting to do. It looked strange to me.

My current Sonex is built to plans (turtle deck skin inside the aft fuselage skin) and the lines just look better to my eye. As far as water getting in I believe it was John Monnett that noted that there are 10,000 rivets that water can come in ...

[Bryan Cotton]

And another 10,000 on the bottom to drain. Bob I recommend following the plans.

[Bryan Cotton]

Also Bob consider the bending stress the turtledeck skin is under. Seems like it would pop up between the rivets, whereas when under the side skin everything is nice and flat. Not sure if this is what Dale observed.

[BobDz]

Per the plan it is.

Thanks gentlemen