Any Suggestions Mounting Full Lotus 1450's

[MikeOwens]

Just removed the Aerocet 1100's from my 118 HP powered Kitfox IV.
All the blogs I've been reading seem to be unclear about the best step location.
These 1450's have quite a bit more length and weight in front of the step than the typical 1260's.
Anyone got any advice.
One thought is to not worry about the step and focus my attention on keeping the CG of the new floats exactly where the CG was with the previous floats. (?)
Thanks,
Mike

[N82HB]

I have plenty of float experience with a lot of intial mounting under my belt, but no Full Lotus time. Because of the poor hydrodynamic design of the Full Lotus I think you are correct about the importance of CG being greater than the step location. That being said, the step should not go too far back for rotation reasons. The farther back the step, the more elevator will be required to rotate. Those are my quick thoughts that come to mind right after; have you called Full Lotus?

One other thing:
I am not criticizing the float when I call it poor hydrodynamically. It just was not their first thought when designing their float. I see a lot of great things with their product and am a fan.

[akflyer]

My Avid likes it best at 6" behind the CG on the plane. Solo it will get onto step real easy at 4", but when you load it up to "gross" she wont push over onto the step. At 6" it seems to do pretty well. I have flown the 1220, 1260 and finaly the 1450s on mine and hands down the 1450's are the ticket for these planes.