Splash and Dash Searey Seaplane Delights
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 Photo Info
Posted By: Hal Brown
Date Posted: Sep 28, 2007
Description: This old SeaRey had been sitting forlornly under a shed in western North Carolina for years. Upon hearing of its plight, an expedition was mounted to recover it. If all goes well, it will take to the air again giving N220WT some time to rest.

This airplane was stranded by the death of its owner, Bracey Bobbitt. Bracey first appeared at X61 in 2001 when picking it up. He was accompanied at the time by a gorgeous young thing that didn’t even flinch at being called “Yum Yum” by politically incorrect locals.

With Paige’s help, N2022P was launched again into Lake James. It was returned to Florida by trailer. It now sits in the Tajmahanger awaiting cooler weather for its intensive recovery to begin.

Date Taken: Sep 28, 2007
Place Taken: Nebo, NC
Owner: Dan Nickens
File Name: Ready_for_Revival.jpg   - Photo HTML
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Category: 285, N2022P
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Read what others had to say:

Frank A. Carr - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    A two-SeaRey family? I hope this will not be at the expense of our loosing those great photos and tales. <br />Good luck with your new endeavour Dan.     
  
Dan Nickens - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    As I have insisted to counter Ann's skeptism, it is really a 1.5 SeaRey family. One to fly. One to work on. One can never have enough SeaReys. I need a spare. I can't afford down time.     
  
Jeff Arnold - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    I don't get it. If you lived in Canada, Dan, it would make sense - a project to carry you through the winter, but you don't live in Canada. You live in Florida where you can fly all the time. This endeavour just doesn't make sense. You (like the rest of us) have a finite amount of airplane time. During this airplane time, you can either work on it (them) or fly it (can't fly 'them'). This endeavour would seem to make the working slice of that pie larger and sacrifice the flying piece of the pie which would get smaller. Just doesn't make sense.     
  
Dan Nickens - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    Ah, so, Jeff, you are mostly right. There are those times, however, when it is dark outside or tropical storming or just plain froggy when its good to have something to tinker on. 'Idle minds' and all that, don'tchano. And if those times are too few, Paige would love to get his helping hands on it. Besides, there is the bigger picture. When both planes are flyable, I can ship one Downunder to go flying with me mates.     
  
Terry Mac Neill - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan,<br /><br />Tell us the story how this plane was discovered.<br /><br />Terry     
  
Don Maxwell - Sep 28,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan. I know a guy who is going to be very unhappy because young Bobbitt wouldn't sell it to him. But where the heck was it when I drove in to look for it in February or March? <br /><br />That's about how it looked when I saw it at the end of December.     
  
Dan Nickens - Sep 29,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    The story, Terry, is worthy of a good novelist. It involves strange twists of fate, fortuitous timing, betrayal, love and death. How can that be reduced to a few paragraphs? Here, with my apologies, is the “Cliff Notes” version.<br /><br />I wanted a little seaplane to replace, temporarily or permanently, my faithful but aging old N220WT. The factory couldn’t deliver a kit in a timely manner because of my long procrastination and unwillingness to acknowledge time’s ravages. Other seaplanes just couldn’t measure up to my little SeaRey. I was reduced to fitful indecision.<br /><br />Bracey Bobbitt died in another seaplane two years ago. N2022P had languished under a canopy for years, waiting as others passed her over. Meanwhile, litigation tied up Bracey’s estate, putting his children in a financial bind.<br /><br />One day at lunch, Paige casually mentioned a strange situation involving a SeaRey that couldn’t be sold at an unusually low price. I tracked down Bax, the eldest son, and explained I was looking for a SeaRey project. Bax offered to sell this part of his inheritance for an irresistible price.<br /><br />Paige agreed to take a weekend off in exchange for a ride up to the mountains of North Carolina. I researched the airplane’s history, talked with Bracey’s much ignored mechanic, and generally satisfied myself that it wasn’t a Nigerian scam. We hitched up a recovery trailer and headed north with minimal reservations. As had been represented, we found the sad airplane in need of a major restoration effort. It fit my criteria quite well.<br /><br />The deal sealer was the youngest Bobbitt. He is a fine young man, quiet of speech and respectful in tone. Both he and his older brother were exceptionally welcoming and hospitable, despite the tragedy they associated with their father and airplanes. You could see the pain in young Bobbitt’s eyes as the airplane taxied away from its home. Another part of his father was leaving. Another dream was dying. He simply asked that I bring the airplane back to the lake when it has been restored.<br /><br />As I taxied the airplane around the lake to a boat ramp to be loaded, a fast moving jet ski intercepted the lead boat. In a brief, spirited conversation, the jet ski guy complained bitterly to the eldest son that he had wanted to buy the airplane. As Bax explained, talking about buying something doesn’t put food on the table.<br /><br />I don’t know where the airplane was hiding when you visited this past winter, Don. It looked as if it hadn’t moved in ages when I found it.<br /><br />Maybe this story is simply a case of a neglected airplane and a foolish buyer. Maybe that is the end of the story. We shall see.<br />     
  
Robert Lee - Sep 29,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    For not a better new owner can I imagine. The one short on conversation and respectful in tone had a wish that I am sure the new owner will grant in a grand way. A sad history now has a bright new beginning.     
  
Rick Oreair - Sep 30,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    I remember Yum Yum, I think we had a picture of her with the Colonel on this site!     
  
Dan Nickens - Sep 30,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    Yes we did, Rick, but I think it was on the old SOS site. I'll bet the Colonel has it posted in his hangar. Sad to say, but I was told by one of the Bobbitt boys that Yum Yum is in a federal pen on a drug charge.     
  
Rick Oreair - Oct 01,2007   Viewers  | Reply
    Wow, that makes the picture even more valuable! The Colonel having his picture made with a bombshell Felon.!!     


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