[VAL] RE: VAL Digest V1 #306

["Aaron Whaley" <wahoonc1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi guys,
New subscriber to the list here. I will back up Rob's claim of shoddy
workmanship. I am in the process of a heavy repair and rehab of a 1975
Sovereign 31. I have found several things along the line that Rob mentioned.
They are definitely factory. Things like scraps of aluminum, rivets, cut off
pieces of wires etc. Found a leak in the rear bath that was caused when they
were installing the plumbing vent stack cover they hit a rib with the screw.
Instead of drilling a hole in the rib for the screw, they just left the
screw sticking out and added extra Vulkem around it. The hole for the
plumbing vent stack for the kitchen was drilled in the wrong place so the
pipe was heated to a modified egg shape, which meant the rubber gasket would
not fit correctly, and they elongated the hole in the shell. Then they put
duct tape on the inside of the shell to provide backing for the extra
Vulkem. These issues are not limited to the Beatrice years I have been
hearing and have seen similar issues with the brand new units too. I found
at least two roof rivets that were never installed, and the list goes on.
Face it these things were built by humans on a production line. They get
paid for production with quality coming in a poor second. That being said
they are still heads and shoulders above any other unit on the road in terms
of overall quality in design and construction. I don't see too many 30+ year
old SOB's on the roads, if you see any at all they are usually a rotting
mess behind someone's barn somewhere.

"So many Airstreams, so little time..."

Aaron