[GoNavy]

I would appreciate the insights of flying boat pilots regarding takeoff problems with my first flying boat.

The aircraft is the Wave King formerly marketed by Horizon Models of Nova Scotia. It has a 72 inch wingspan, a plastic hull, and a Webra 60 blackhead on a pylon above the wing. Each wing has a float about 1/3 of the span from the fuselage.

At rest in the water, the fuselage floats with the water about 3/8" below the line molded into the fuselage. The wing floats are both in the water.

It was only after I added about three degrees of engine up thrust that I was able to get this off the water. In addition, I added significant spray deflectors along the length of the fuselage to try and tame a serious water spray problem which usually killed the engine.

The takeoff run was very long, probably 400 feet, with full up elevator, and required lots of rudder correction. I started in one direction and wound up making two major turns in the process. There is no appreciable transition to step, just a sudden breaking from the water into a near stall condition. Once free of the water and with airspeed, it flys fine.

This plane is built straight and true. The thrust and other lines are per the plans.

As I search the web, I see other flying boat designs and invariably the wing floats are not in the water when the plane is at rest. As I understand things, the wing floats are there to level the aircraft, not to support it at rest. I wonder if my takeoff problems are related to the significant amount of the wing floats in the water.

Is it possible, that a plane performs better off salt water as opposed to fresh?

I don't normally second guess the designer, and I am new to flying off water, but take offs with this are a real bear. I would appreciate any advice or suggestions.

Thanks, GoNavy.

[Wayne22]

They were only so-so performers at best...perhaps the reason the company is no longer in business.....