Well done. Good perseverance but the final result is the prize!
Never discount a good evaporative cooling system to keep your FV at a decent temperature.
It is a myth that you need a yeast starter: dry yeast is fine if it has been treated well and it only needs rehydration to get it ready. I only used dry yeast and I've done well over 40 batches in the last 2 years just with dry yeast. Yes, I over-pitch but not to the point where it is double the...