Loose ends

The days are already getting shorter, we're down to "only" 14 1/2 hours of sun/day and I've been working long hours while I can.

The floor pan is (still) being worked on, so on a tip from Jim Ratte while the front was apart I added the rudder pedals. I wasn't going to use them, but they will make it easier for others who might fly the airplane.

With the work on the bottom of the hull complete, I flipped it back over and started adding hardware like the bilge pump, and front stringer reinforcements in preparation for hull-frame mate.

Remember that hull ding?

Fine, finer, and even finer sandpaper...

Polishing with a mildly abrasive cleaner and wool cloth...

Is followed by waxing with a foam disc. In sunlight I can see the repair if I look hard, but it's good enough.

Road trippin'

You can't work in a kitchen and not get hungry, you can't build an airplane and not want to go flying. I've gotten reacquainted with an old friend, started flying a C-152 from a local FBO and exploring Puget Sound. I'm sure not the same man I was back when I was a CFI..

One road trip gathered 3 of us Puget Sound SeaRey builders with 2 very experienced pilots to talk flying and get tips about SeaReys.L-R, Ken (builder), Richard, Jeff (builder), and Dan.

And even though she's not flying yet, OspRey was invited to join the Ferret Rescue Service. She's looking forward to flying missions "That others may live".

KeelGuard

While the skid plate is for the worst case, a KeelGuard is a strip of rubber with a strong adhesive used on boats to protect keels from abrasion on beaches. Again, others thought of this first and I'm only following in their wake.

Mark it out...

rough it up...

 use some elbow grease!!!

that's better.

Apply the primer,

And if you're lucky a couple fellow EAA members, Cynthia and Alan Snowie, wander by and get drafted into helping attach the 8', 4lb 11oz strip.Thanks for the help!!!!

Years ago Alan and I were involved in flying two 7/8 scale replica Nieuport 11 aircraft, built by the Noon Patrol of the Independence OR EAA Chapter 292. Between takeoff and touchdown it was a fine airplane, but during takeoff and landing it was the most unpleasant aircraft I've ever flown, and the only one I've ever gotten out of and kicked. It was only through luck that I never ground looped the thing, and after about 7 hours in the plane Alan and I went our separate ways. I learned a lot about taildragon flying in those hours, so it wasn't all bad.

Just skidding around

Hopefully I'll never need this, but just in case I ever have to do a belly landing some have installed a skid plate or either aluminum or stainless steel to protect the fiberglass hull from damage. A bit of weight, but cheap insurance.

Instead of building one from scratch, I tried a ScuffBuster Bow Guard XL first. 

It's 22ga stainless steel, and has a layer of glue preattached. After examining it I decided 22ga was just too thin to be useable as a skid plate. 

In addition, the shape of the unit did not lend itself to provide much protection.

Since that did not work, I had to make one myself. A SWAG made me use 16ga SS I picked up from Carlson Steel, and they were kind enough to make the cuts and bends for me.

 

After that I go to learn a new tool, an angle grinder to smooth and round the edges. Too much fun.

While upside down I mounted the drain plug.