Tailwheel seaplane… would you prefer a Lake or one of these SeaBee’s?
https://www.aerotrader.com/listing/1947-Republic-R-3-SEABEE-5035950015
1 Like
I’d go with a Lake based on all the fun my friend is having in his Renegade. Chris’ IG, I commented on his bachelor life style on the ASES episode we recorded, bringing random girls up to mountain lakes in his “mega force adventure mobile”.
Alternative: SeaRay. I’ve flown this exact example that it is now for sale at $69k. Really interesting having the tailwheel action and then landing on the hull in the water. The enroute cruise performance was slower than a Cub and surprisingly heavy controls. Once you’re on the water it’s nice to have the canopy open which is a theme with most of these hull based seaplanes.
1 Like
I’ve been eyeing the sea rays since summer of 2018! @LeeGriffing poo-pooed💩 them when I brought it up on air.
Seems like a fun machine for what it is. I would certainly rock one.
1 Like
I’d highly prefer a Cub on straight floats but at least with a wheeled aircraft they’re able to land on runways, refuel and store in most hangars. At least you get that with a SeaRay as a redeeming factor from the not so great performance from the Rotax.
This is making me want to get ASES current again with Kenmore again, ugh.
1 Like
I would really like to get some experience on a flying boat to compare it to floats. I have heard both sides of the argument, but I feel like I would prefer a flying boat over floats, but I don’t know.
Definitely should get current again!
During my formative years, a J3 on floats was THE quintessential seaplane I still believe it is the reason I still say “floatplane” a lot, instead of the more broad range seaplane. Obviously not a workhorse like a Cessna 185 of deHavilland Beaver but from a toy perspective, I don’t think a J3 can be beat. Other than a PA-18-95 of course… I wouldn’t take 10 SeaRays over a J3.
&Fib X-Cub would be on my short list. I could NEVER do 100% floats… WAY to impractical!
Straight floats is for a PURE toy. And I think thats a J3 through and through. So it all checks out.