FLOAT PLANE AIR TAXI PLT ALLOWS PAX DISTR DURING CHKLIST COMPLETION. SWITCHES TO WRONG TANK. HAS ENG FAIL AT 50 FT ON TKOF. HARD LNDG ON WATER. ENG RESTART AND BECOMES AIRBORNE.

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PRELNDG CHKLIST WAS FOLLOWED AND FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCH SET TO FULLEST (FORWARD) TANK. LNDG COMPLETED. PAXS BOARDED. PAX ON DOCK COMPLAINED ABOUT A PREVIOUS FLT A FEW DAYS EARLIER AT WHICH TIME WE WOULDN'T OFF LOAD HIS BROTHER AT ANOTHER FLOAT PLANE LOCATION DUE TO ACFT WT AND LOW TIDE. TODAY'S PLT PAID TOO MUCH ATTN TO COMPLAINTS AND WAS THINKING OF THIS DURING PRETKOF CHKLIST. AT CHKLIST POINT 'FUEL SELECTOR' PAX ASKED ME ABOUT LOOKING FOR BEARS ON WAY HOME. I BELIEVE THE QUESTION AND PRECEDING COMPLAINTS CAUSED ME TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO MIDDLE TANK INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT ON 'FULLEST' FRONT TANK. ENG QUIT ON TKOF (FLOAT PLANE) AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL. SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED AND FUEL WOBBLE PUMP ACTIVATED. LNDG ON WATER WAS ACCOMPLISHED ALTHOUGH IT WAS A HARD ONE. ENG CAUGHT AND RESTARTED JUST AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND WE BECAME AIRBORNE. TRIP HOME WAS COMPLETED AND ACFT INSPECTION SHOWED NO DAMAGE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A STERILE COCKPIT WHERE ONE COULD NOT BE BOTHERED BY PAXS AND COMPLAINERS HAVE A FLT ATTENDANT TO WORK WITH. THAT AIN'T THE CASE SO: IF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING UPSETS YOU OR DISTRACTS YOU -- STOP -- RECOLLECT THOUGHTS AND DO YOUR JOB ACCORDING TO THE BOOK.