Float Rating

With my mind on the float plane that had just arrived after waiting longer than three months, I was at the annual cottage party for the long weekend (14th year!)  I didn't want to drive back an hour to get the lesson (and missing the cottage party was out of question), so I arranged for a pickup at the cottage (who says you can't have it both ways?!)

I sent over the GPS coordinates, screen shot of the map, a picture of the dock, inspected the water for any obstacles (rocks, trees) and awaited the arrival with a handheld radio in hand. With a couple of overflights, the instructor found the cottage and the plane docked gracefully.

I climbed in not knowing what to expect.  Here's the rundown of how to handle floats - first lesson:

Taxi

Activate Water Rudders
Control Column all the way out
Slow throttle

Take Off

Deactivate Water Rudders
10° Flaps
Control column all the way out
Pick cloud as a reference point
Full power
Step? Lower control column to "sweet spot" slowly
Let plane take off and keep ground effect until acceleration
Climb out
Retract flaps with positive rate of climb

Landing

Overfly area
20° flaps
Downwind and GUMPS (gas, undercarriage, mixture, pumps, switches) check 
65 kts approach
Flare keeping shoreline and pheriperal view
Power off on touchdown
Gradual control column all the way out