Originally Posted by
9780991975808
Up here (Canada), "Category" and "Class" have different meanings depending on application. "Single-engine," "multi-engine," "water/sea" and "land," etc., are pilot licensing classes. Hence a "sea" obtained in a single engine seaplane and a "multi-engine" obtained in a multi-engine landplane automatically includes a multi-engine sea, e.g., "single and multi-engine land and sea" (SMELS). I suspect it's the same where you are.
If where you're at is FAA land it is different. To get SMELS requires 4 checkrides. I've got SMEL and MES but not SES. Can't legally crank up a cub on floats. And you'd think being current MEL would cover you SEL but no, not in the FAA's eyes.