Forum - Maintenance - Cockpit floor
| Topic | Replies | Latest Post |
|---|---|---|
| Cockpit floor | 3 | Tue 05 Apr 2016 21:56:54 |
 IJL Fri 15 Mar 2013 12:55:50 | Firstly hello, I have only just joined the forum but had my Manta for 18 months, it spends most of the time at Rutland Water I have been doing a few jobs over winter and have noticed that the cockpit floor is very creaky. I know cored decks can be fixed by injecting epoxy but i'm not sure if the cockpit floor is solid or foam/ balsa/ anything else cored. Before i start drilling holes does anyone know what the construction is? | |
Replies | ||
 Mark Fri 15 Mar 2013 15:16:35 | Hi there, my boat Sophie has a similar problem on the cockpit floor between the mainsheet attachment and the step into the cabin. I think this is because it is where people land when they jump down into the cockpit from the deck. It's been like this since I've had her but doesn't seem to have got any worse. I don't know what the construction is but I've looked from inside the cabin and it does seem like there is some sort of core in there but I don't know what it is. Similar boats made around the time of the manta (e.g. Micro Gem) had a balsa core hull so balsa would be my guess. You might be able to find out by removing the main sheet attachment and poking something into the holes. Not much help I'm afraid but if you find out more then please let us know. | |
| IJL Thu 21 Mar 2013 11:57:25 | Thanks Mark, I'll have a look when the weather get a bit warmer, i'm keen to stop fixing bits and get sailing. | |
 Mekicevica Tue 05 Apr 2016 21:56:54 | I know this is an old post but only now do I have some information to contribute, so here it goes for future reference. The creaky cockpit sole seems to be a general characteristic of the Mantas. I looked under the front part of the sole, where the creaking noises seem to come from and found that the sole is supported by three, glassed-in wooden-beams. I went trough the trouble of sanding the fibreglass to inspect the beams, a task for which you need contortionist skills. The beams were perfectly sound, so I just covered them again with glass and epoxy. I did have some hair-cracks on the sole, which I repaired. I guess the cockpit sole creaks in the way old wooden floors creak, and there is nothing to worry about. Just look out for eventual cracks in the fibreglass Luis | |
