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 Previous Item - Display your plane in MD!
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Float or Hull? |
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- Apr 21,2011
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I guess this is a basic question anyone getting into seaplanes has to ask themselves. I haven't found anything directly on the subject yet so I thought I was ask, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each type?<br /><br />About all I know is that a float plane can get to a dock easier. For around here (Wisconsin) a float plane probably makes more sense. We usually have steep shores with trees or brush right down to the water, mucky bottoms, cold water most of the year. So why do I want a SeaRey. I guess I just do!<br /><br />Could some of you that have experience shoot me some thoughts on 'which is better', for things like water handling, turbulence, maneuverability, safety, general stuff, anything. <br /><br />Granted it would differ depending on what you are comparing, a Beaver to a PBY would probably not be a fair comparison, so how about generally something like a SeaRey to say a KitFox or Rans?
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Kenneth Leonard - Apr 21,2011
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Jim - certainly the floats are an advantage for both docking and beaching at steep shores. The boat hulls have an advantage of a much lower center of gravity which significantly reduces the likelihood of rolling over from a gear down landing. Also, you don't slide floats around like a jet ski as with the Searey. I've flown both and prefer the boat hull. I also tell myself that the floats do nothing in flight except create drag while the boat hull is integral to the plane structure, but frankly, the Rey is still terribly draggy so I'm probably fooling myself.
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- Apr 21,2011
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Thanks for the insight Ken. I was also told that a float plane is somewhat easier to fly since the trust is not off center. I've been warned about some of the special takeoff or landing requirements for a SeaRey.<br /><br />I think from an attitude standpoint it would be easier to get familiar with a plane where you're just about riding on the ground than with one that would feel like you're on stilts. I would think a SeaRey would better on a rough sod field than a float plane.<br /><br />I guess one of the things that appeals to me is having the fuselage be part of the hull as opposed to pulling dead weight.<br /><br />How is the freeboard on the cockpit? Is there much problem getting spashes or swamping from boat waves, wakes etc?
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Kenneth Leonard - Apr 22,2011
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We try not to get overly technical in our discussions on the Splash n Dash site. That said, I've never heard of a Searey swamping from lack of freeboard. Slide the canopy closed and make sure the bilge pump works.
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- Apr 22,2011
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Thanks Ken.
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Walt Bates - Apr 22,2011
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Well, I have had my Searey for 5 years and a Buc II for 15 years before that..........and in WI. I am in Land O' Lakes (where are you?) where the lakes are as you describe except that in the northern part of the state the bottoms are more sandy.<br /><br />I love my Searey and, if the wind is light, can bring it up to a dock easily and frequently do so.<br /><br />ALL float planes were originally designed as land planes with the thrust line directed through the center of drag. The subsequent adding of floats lowers that center of drag dramatically and requires down force on the tail at all times with resultant trim drag, etc. The Searey has that, too, but at least was designed for it. Roll rate is another issue. Those two heavy floats out there act as mass counterbalances on the roll axis and slow your roll acceleration. Not so a boat hull.<br /><br />Safety-wise.........well, I have flown both and feel rather precarious sitting up high on the water on floats, especially with a strong wind as I realize that one float will not support the weight of the plane. I have had a 280# pax (I'm about 190#) and have never gotten water over the window sill even in rough water.<br /><br />To me, a very large requirement has always been that my bird be an amphibian with its many obvious advantages. I taxi it up onto my beach, under its canopy and into its tie downs that can all handle any monster storm that comes along. What are you going to do with a float plane? Tie it to a dock in the hail and hope? We can get two foot waves on our lake. Good luck. Also, I do like to go to land airports occasionally, like for gas (Land O' Lakes airport has Mogas). Sure beats hauling 5 gal cans from town and then up onto a wing. Sure, floats can be made amphibious but then you need a ramp. Float tires are generally thin to fit up into small wells in the floats and could never handle some of the soft sand beaches in northern WI. My Searey can power up onto virtually anything. The ease of beaching a float plane is overstated, I believe. All the float guys I know carry a pair of rubber boots.
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- Apr 22,2011
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Walter this is just the type of info I was looking for, a very practical assessment.<br /><br />Actually Walter we may have already met. We may have talked on the the ramp at LNL several years ago. I believe it was a green Buck on the ramp. If nothing else, I'm sure I've seen you fly over several times. My family has property on Mamie Lake and Spring Creek. If I recall, you're based on Black Oak Lake. I know the whole area very well. My wife and I still head up that way for fish fry at Bents. To be honest with ya, that's one of my seaplane fantasies, fly in there for the fish fry or lunch.<br /><br />If you ever feel like company I would love to come and see your SeaRey sometime if you would be open to it.<br /><br />
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Eric Batterman - Apr 22,2011
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Jim, You're in luck. Walt's a CFI and I did my searey transition training with him. I highly endorse his endorsements.
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- Apr 22,2011
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It's funny, I've been all over utube playing the posted videos to get a feel for the bird's operations. Darrell just sent me some links and one of them is for Walter. I had seen the video before and knew from the title it was in Northern Wisconsin but I didn't make the connection. When I played it originally some of the territory looked 'familiar', but dismissed it because there are a million lakes up there and they all pretty much look the same. There is a clip of an airport and that looked familiar too. I just went back and played it, and although I can't confirm seeing some of the landmarks like the Gateway Inn, I did see a '14' and the layout is right for Lando. I've been in there many times...
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