"Misery is a Sonex in the rain."

[MichaelFarley56]

Glenn,

I have the Sonex factory cover and only use it when I'm at Oshkosh, but I've been very happy with it. Lightweight, and keeps the cockpit dry. I would probably want something more durable like a Bruce's Cover if I kept my plane outside or was going to be using the cover a whole bunch, but for the occasional trip, the factory cover is just fine.

Bruce's Cover is higher quality, more durable, heavier, more expensive, etc. So a lot of it will probably depend on how often you're going to use it.

[GordonTurner]

Thanks for the enlightenment Mike. Catch up with you sooner or later...

[fastj22]

Bruce's Covers are top shelf. But pretty heavy too.
I just went to AutoZone and bought a cheap blue car cover, cut it to shape and sewed in some nylon straps to hold it down. Very light, should keep rain out.

[mike.smith]

That reminds me of this video from Jeff Shultz I watched recently. It was the first time I noticed rain on the canopy of a Sonex while flying. It's towards the last few minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWiQgEpK_NU

I flew through 20 minutes of rain on the way out to OSH this year with my Sensenich. I didn't notice any issues with the prop finish. I have lots of issues with the little stones around my airport aprons, however!

Rain is around 1:33 on the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BlxXZ2RNUA

I only had 2 drips come in, and they were at the forward edge of the windscreen where it meets the firewall. At the junction of the canopy and the windscreen I did this to keep air out, but it also appears to do a good job of keeping water out. Granted, it's not pouring, but the rain was constant.
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 2003&row=2
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 2004&row=1

It was nice to have ADSB Wx so I knew it was a narrow band of light stuff before I decided to press on.

And FWIW, I have a Bruce's canopy cover and wing covers (I tie down outside). Very heavy duty and very nice products! I took the canopy cover to OSH, but a lighter cover would certainly have sufficed, as long as it would stand up to a Wisconsin thunderstorm (which fortunately we did not have this year).

[vigilant104]

Are there any observations/opinions about the performance of the composite-wrapped Sensenich props in the rain? Anybody had their wood Sensenich wrapped later by the company?

[GordonTurner]

Thanks Mike. Nice write up.

[sonex1374]

I flew thru light rain for about 30-45 minutes coming home from Oshkosh, and when I landed the paint had pealed nearly completely off the outer 6 inches of prop. It looks like once a hole opened up in the paint the water wicked underneath and lifted it in large sheets until it tore free. I was amazed when I landed that the prop looked so horrible, but flew pretty much like normal. There was no other damage to the prop, fiberglass coating, urethane leading edge, or primer - just the outer paint.

I called Sensenich about it and they offered to refinsh it for me (price unknown). They were, however, very busy and it would be a 6 week turn around. I decided to refinsh and ballance the prop myslef. I pealed off all the old paint with my fingers and then repainted it with Krylon Fussion paint in the hopes that Fussion would be more flexible and durrable. So far after about 5 hrs it seems fine, but I haven't flown thru any rain yet.

Interesting enough, Sensenich's paint shop told me they switched the final prep sanding a while back from 400 grit to 320 grit, in the hopes of getting better adhesion of the 2-part polyurethane paint (Sherwin Williams Polane) to the primer. I sanded mine to 320 when I refinished it, and it definatly left more tooth for the paint to grab on to.

[LarryEWaiex121]

Jeff,
Being a long time modeler, dealing with propellers is not a mystery for me. My Waiex did the same thing about two years ago when I had no choice but to penetrate about 4 miles of hard rain or turn around.
Did the same nasty deed to my Sensenich. About the same amount of grey primer area showing that you described.
Having used the Fusion paint before on a number or projects I felt it was the best available in a single part paint. I scuffed and then repainted about 16" on both blades. Has been working pretty darned good. Won't shine as well as the factory paint but, holding up well enough till I decide to have the propeller examined and refinished by Sensenich.