How difficult is it to take off and land a PA-12, 160 on grass with strait floats?
Can it be done safely without damaging the float bottoms?
Does the grass have to be wet for take off?
Jerry Marshall from Cottage Grove, Oregon used a dolly for take-off (big skateboard with auto braking) and a grass runway for landing in a Citabria with floats. Take-off on a grass runway was impossible to my knowledge, landing was fine with no damaged.
But, marijuana is legal in Oregon, so I guess anybody can takeoff on grass now.
Landing on grass. First check the landing area for sticks and stones. It should be flat and fairly smooth since there are no shock absorbers on the floats. Fly the plane from the back seat in order to keep your cg aft. Use a glassy water landing technique for a minimal descent rate touchdown with zero drift. It will slow to a stop very rapidly. After you touchdown there is no steering, you're just along for the short ride. That's why it is important that the plane is aligned with the direction of travel. If not, then it is possible for something bad to happen quickly. If the grass is wet or with a lite dusting of snow, after you touch down you can push the stick all the way forward to tip the plane up on the curve of the float bottoms and taxi it to the hangar. If you pull the stick all the way back it will come to a stop with full power.
Taking off on grass. This may or may not be possible since you will need to rotate at the step of the floats which is quite far back of the CG for this purpose. I would sit in the back seat for this also. Does your -12 have flaps? They will help. Also you will likely need a good headwind. More is better.
I have made one grass takeoff with a single hulled 360 hp STOL twin. A small gust of wind helped to pop me into the air. The distance was actually a little less than the landing of about 300 feet.
Done properly the paint on the keel will be polished or at the most worn off.
Been doing it for more than several decades without mishap. J-3 was only one I sat in back of, and in fact did one wet grass takeoff with that machine which was very well powered and propped. We do s. cub, PA 12 and Citabrias here every fall and take off on a trailer in the spring. If you regularly make very smooth glassy water landing then this is a nonevent. Don't try to do a very slow full stall landing; make a more flat approach and land on the steps; In good grass, you can control steering with rudder enough to keep you from swerving. I like dry grass, because you can go a long ways on wet grass and that just increases your chance to find something to strike under your keels. Much easier than glassy water landing because depth perception is there for you. Go around if you don't think it's just right; and don't do it at all if you don't feel reasonably comfortable with it. Only the first time has any belly flutters; after that you realize it is no big deal.I've seen a couple of guys who insisted on a slow full stall event; not damaged, but one hell of a ride! I think taking off on grass is going to require a lot of horsepower; if you have it go for it. luck, Reid
We ran everything from J3's to Single Otters on and off the grass....never a problem. For takeoff, we used a rope from the back of a pickup with an automatic transmission, and a small loop over the back horn on the bow cleat. It just gives them a quicker start and less strain on the engine. As soon as there's any slack in the rope, it blows off the backside of the cleat. Works flawlessly.
John