flipstart

I am in process of building a kit, which may end up on floats. Does it make any sense to water proof the inside of fuselage with thinned Polyacrylic or similiar sealer as you build in anticipation of an unfortunate accident on floats? Did not know how much weight this sealing process might add and if if would be worth the effort. What say you "Floaters out there?
Flipstart

Neo02

Do it, you won't regret it.
Balsa is not only sensitive to water, but also to humidity - you don't need necessarily an accident to experience the effects of humidity on balsa and other wood. You might not notice it immediately, but the mostly negative side-effects of humidity will show after some time...
My advice: seal everything with several (2+) coats of thinned polyacrylic sealer and seal potentially exposed areas like wing saddle, servo trays, etc with thinned 24Hr epoxy resin. Remember: water gets through almost everything.
Regards,
-Fabrizio

Neo02

Forgot to add: the added weight of such measure is trivial and a non-issue.

Regards,
-Fabrizio

evan-RCU

If you'd like a second opinion, don't. It's much more important to stop the water from getting in to start with. Pay close attention to where pushrods leave the fuse, where fuel lines go through the firewall, use a charge jack that is sealed, use a wire to turn the switch on, seal the wing to the fuse. Use silicon sealant for most items, if you have a hatch seal it with sealant if you don't need to get into it often or use tape or 1/2" wide strips of clear monokote if you need to get in more often.

Flipstart, do you fly floats? One of the clubs there in Knoxville has a float fly every six months, at a park on the river south west of you, here link to a map of the place. I went last year, they had a pretty good turn out. We, in Charlotte fly floats alot but that might be too far for you to go. Hope the link works.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...bmit=Get%20Map

flipstart

evan-yes-that is KCRC-I am a member-float fly is held twice a year-beautiful place to fly-we had about 50 floaters last spring. Bring your favorite plane over this spring, not sure of the date yet. Flip

evan-RCU

Did you go to the last one? I think it was October 25th. I went, took my Quaker(the above picture), NorthStar, and Outlaw(this picture).

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I also don't bother. The problem with sealing water OUT, is that you can also seal it IN.

Example: You waterproof the radio compartment, and the planes takes on water. What with the plane flipping over in the water, or your lifting it into a boat, etc. that water is going to go all over the inside of the plane. Now water gets into the untraeted area, and "wicks" under the treated area. Because the treated area is sealed, the water can't evaporate, and will eventually start to rot the wood.

My advise: Leave it alone. If it gets wet, take off the wing an let it sit in the sun for a few hours to dry out.

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

I have expressed opinions that might be interpreted on both sides of this issue:
My most recent experience indicates It's probably a good idea to seal the wood, in and out, before covering.

You're not going to keep all the water out. I had water get under the covering of a flying boat, and it made the un-sealed ply skin of the hull all gooshy and moldy. That was real high on my "BAD" list.

try to slow down the water from soaking in. take the wing off and let it dry out when it's being stored.

Radios in baggies are as likely to hold water in as out, so I strap my radio/batteries to a perch in the middle of the fuselage. The water has to get deep before there is any standing water on the circuitry. Mount the receiver somewhat aft, also.

If a plane flips over, it floats nose-down. mount the radio so it will be out of the water regardless. If you flip the plane, it will float nose-down on the wing. Everything that will be under water should be sealed, but take out the tank, batteries, and all the foam and get it dry anyway.

I love my 4-cycle OS, but the bearings got a lot of water in them and rusted. It happened to my friend's ENYA, too. In examining the 4-C arrangement, this is not likely to work itself out easily. OIL your bearings after every flying session. Corrosion-X is a GOOD product to protect the bearing and electronics. Available at FBOs, Marine suppliers, and from www.corriosionx.com

evan-RCU

Jim, I don't oil my engines at all and though I've had to replace my bearings in the Saito .56 I have in the Quaker(the only water plane I've had to replace bearings in), I've had to replace the bearings in the wheeled Quaker at about the same # of hours. I make sure and run the engine right away if I splash it and never run the engine dry of fuel so there is always the oil from the fuel in the engine. I have had engines corrode from sitting between flying sessions due to not rinsing them in fresh water after flying in salt water. I think most of this corrosion was from the salt spray residue and most of the corrosion was external, case, carb, etc. I wrap my rcvr and battery in paper towels and then put them in plastic bags but I seal the airplane so well I've never even seen the outside of the plastic bag get wet, YET....

No matter how good you are though water will get in, I've seen it whick into the stabs through Ca hinges!