My aluminum frame has been mounted inside the FRP Hull for some months now but I am checking each previous step done against the 'new' manual. First new step was to locate and drill the 3/8" hole in the bow for mounting the Bow Eye Bolt... this sort of task drives home the point that I am building something special... a Flying Boat! I by-passed the installation of the Bow Lights as my 'boat' won't be cruising the waterways or runways at night. The 'new' manual is actually for factory built Searey LSA planes and they use a number of templates for laying out measurements. Not having the templates refered to I have to flip open the 'old' manual for specific measurements. Case in point is the layout for the Static Ports, Brake Fitting Rubber Grommet (Ports and Grommet not included in my kit so I had to order now), Gear Legs, Fuel Sump Fitting and Bilge Pump Fitting. Second case are the measurements for the openings in the Hull transom. For trimming the lip of the Hull down to 3/4" all around the perimeter I used a Dremel cut-off blade for the FRP and once that was cut loose I used an electric knife to slice the carpeting where ever it was in place. Worked real well but 'dust' was everywhere and the rather cheap knife folded itself in two and had to be replaced with an electric soldering gun with a more robust cutting tool.
