My buddy and I are on our 14th seaplane. That one was the TwinStar on floats. We just wanted to try something different. We never under power anything and, you're correct, seaplanes do like more power. Besides the water, you have the extra weight and drag of the floats.

Here's another one I should have added: retractable main float or floats.

I think it was Saunders Roe with the jet seaplane and not AVRO.