Finally flew from the water yesterday!

Plane was fantastic. Only a few clicks of down and it was flying true. In my nervousness and excitement, I started my first turn after climb-out without rudder and it was very ugly, so for those that have not yet flown with all the added drag and weight of the floats, be sure to steer the plane with rudder! Same really applies to to wheeled flight as well.

Take off "roll" was straight as an arrow and the plane tracked through the water perfectly. I have also re-set the wing (relative to top of float) incidence at +2.5 degrees. To do this I had to cut and drill new struts. Pretty easy to do. I also added steps up to each door, which also helps make the rigging a little more rigid. Used a single Ernst water rudder with (what I believe to be) more scale pull-pull rigging. It may not be visible in the photos, but I used a tiller on the tail wheel, Spyder wire (kevlar), and Proctor pulleys. Pulleys have to go as they don't roll worth a darn. Trying to locate some (small) ball bearing pulleys, so that the action is smoother (water rudder won't easily return to neutral with air rudder is neutralized). Needs more work.

I have the float step located 1.5 inches behind the CG (80mm). Seemed perfect, too. I have no ventral fin, and likely will not add one. Plane was very stable. Was pretty windy and the plane's size and weight handled it beautifully. Finished weight with floats still unknown (guessing about 17 lbs).

Love the plane!

Hope the photos attach.

Noah