I read “Voyage of the Southern Sun” while twiddling my thumbs mid pacific a few years back. The idea of this guy taking what I considered a toy airplane around the world really blew my mind. Lately, I’ve been futzing around flying floats in Microsoft Flight Sim and its rekindled the dream. There seems to be way more lakes with 2k+ ft of water available near me than I previously thought. Ultimately the goal is to be able to have more “side-country” flying available to me after work beyond the strips that I’m able to squeeze my stock 170 into (Technically getting out again is the problem…).

1. Where can one legally operate a float plane?? There does not appear to be any regulations for Rhode Island. Do I just put tiny N numbers on it and beg for forgiveness?
2. Anyone have SeaRey experience? I hear that the factory is having some difficulties right now…
3. Are the folding wings a quick process?
4. Which engine/hull is most desirable. My understanding is that the C hull and Rotax 914 is the way to go.
5. Insurance? I expect to be liability only…
6. Training? Seem to be several places in FL that offer training in a SeaRey. Anyone have recommendations?

Thanks in advance for helping me daydream!

Progressive Aerodyne who make (made?) the SeaRey used to be an advertiser here until they met with some financial troubles.

Seemed like cool aircraft. We have all dreamed of an adventure in am amphib like the SeaRey.

The Seaplane Pilots Association maintains the best database (although not complete) of which waterways are not explicitly off limits to seaplanes. It's a good starting point but you can also research your state's regulating authority. In Oregon it was the state marine board. In Minnesota it's the DNR or MN DOT. A quick Googling shows not much available for RI. Maybe that's good. Absence of a "no" can be interpreted as a "yes" although don't be that guy that spurs lawmakers to outlaw seaplanes. Law enforcement in every state is generally ignorant of land use rules where they intersect with aircraft use.

Of course the most recent design changes to the type are going to be the most desirable. Depending on funds available you might research just how important those are to you and maybe save a few bucks.

Call the factory and tell them you're thinking about doing something to a used SeaRey and see how helpful they are with knowledge. Might give you an idea what life with a SeaRey would be like from a maintenance/ownership standpoint.

How big a guy are you? I'm 220 lbs so I always have to look at the useful load with a wary eye. Me and an equivalent sized friend plus fuel often blows through the useful load of LSAs like the SeaRey, which enjoy the 1430 lb LSA seaplane legal max gross.

I will also leave this quote here from Mike Custard, founder of Summit Aircraft Skis:

flybymike wrote:I have owned both the Searey and the S7, and currently own a Kitfox SS and am building a new S7. I had a dealership for the Searey in Florida back in the late 90's. The Searey is a very fun floatplane but I believe would have serious limitations as a bush plane.

Most of the structures of the Searey are built more to the ultralight standards than to conventional standards. Such as aluminum tubing with plastic saddles and inserts. The wing has a very high angle of attack compared to the fuselage which enables the plane to make fairly short take off runs on water. You don't rotate for the take off, you levitate.

It has a very high sink rate with power off but is a kick in the butt to operate on water. I operated at sea level so power to weight ratio wasn't too bad but I would be concerned at the higher elevations.

Zzz, Thanks for the thoughts!

I joined the SPA in 2021 to use the directory. Nothing listed in RI. Reached out to their leadership, they were very nice but didn't know of anyone flying floats in RI. I know of a couple folks who fly floats around here but I have not had a chance to meet them and pick their brain.

My understanding is that the searey is good for 1510lbs as an experimental. I hover around 195 depending on burrito intake. Seems like two 200 lb guys and 20 gallons of gas would be doable. Most of my flying is solo in the early am anyways. Flying a boat low level at 6am off the beach sounds marginally safer than my 170.

Mr Custard's Quote is concerning. There certainly are lots of Searey crashes. I'm not sure if that's due to the design itself or the nature of the pilots who buy them and the type of flying they are doing.

I haven't flown a SeaRey but I have several hundred hours in an AeroAdventure Aventura II. Same basic planform with Dacron sails instead of traditional fabric, boat hull, pusher Rotax 912S, lighter empty weight so higher useful load, even more rudimentary or ultralightish than the SeaRay.. Two fat guys and full fuel no problem.

They are great fun and I miss flying it a lot. The guy who checked me out and signed me off for my Commercial SES rating was a Searey instructor in the Orlando area. Lots of Searey instructors down there. I'm not sure of the current status of Aerodyne either.

Where you can legally fly and are welcome are often hardest part about seaplanes in the Northeast. NJ has zero options. Best tools have been mentioned already but you can often go by the local boating rules. Any motor size or speed limits on that specific water must be abided by so usually a no go. Most navigable rivers are good, lakes large enough for waterskiing etc...

Hull insurance may be nearly impossible to get so liability only might be your only option.

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I got some time in one, only about 30hrs though, my takeaway, economical, cool and simple, but pretty loud and slow

For a around the world I’d take a skywagon like Tom Claytor
http://claytor.com/

Failing that, I’d probably go any other working class amphib, or a lake, or even if you had the money a A5, before I went searey

If you have a house on the lake or strip, a few airports and other lakes within 50-maybe 100nm, just hopping around and flying for the sake of flying, a searey would be great

My 2 cents

Progresive Aerodyne is still making the SeaRey, Check them out on the Facebook, I remember reading an article about their shop northwest of Orlando. Quick look shows it is off of Lake Idamere. I grabbed my SES at Kenmore Air in Seattle. Ever consider a Pacer/Tripacer on floats to meet your needs?

An ex US National Aerobatic team pilot (Cecilia Aragon) is based at my home airport. She still has an acro mount, a C-182, and a biplane LSA amphib called the Petrel. It's an interesting looking bird. The low biplane wing would make approaching a dock almost impossible, but it does look like quite a hoot to play with. You can land on the water and then lower the gear and taxi up a boat ramp. I think it has the unique ability to stay upright even it you land on the water with the gear down. Most amphibs flip onto their backs pretty quickly if you land on water with the gear down.
https://superpetrelusa.com/

GD – Thanks for the suggestion! I remember reading about the Aventura in the airplane magazines I horded as a kid in the 90’s. Totally forgot about it. Might fit the bill perfectly. Especially if I have to “self-insure,” doing so on a 40k airframe vs an 80k one seems preferable. About half the folks with hangars near mine seem to think that self-insurance is going to be basically the only option for GA in the next decade or two anyways…

I reached out to a family friend who recently retired from our state environmental management. He said there was someone on staff who “evaluated” water and helo landing sites… Seems like a can of worms I don’t want to open.

93K – Loud, Slow, and Economical sounds about perfect to me. I’m not in a hurry.

Thanks for the link on Tom Claytor. Been fun reading about his adventures. For around the world… If I can’t go commercial, I would rather just sail. As soon as I get over water outside of gliding range with my 170 I swear the engine starts making new noises…

One of the goals would be to hop from the local strip to the lake behind my parents. Would 100% be slower than driving but 100x more fun.

56Tripacer – I can’t fit an airplane on floats into my current hangar (door is too low). I also imagine that a Pacer would need to be on straight floats and I just can’t see that working out unless I move someplace else. I’ve spent way too many hours thinking about tinkering with pacers and I’ve still never flown one. If you know anyone with a 160hp PA-22/20 conversion in New England I’d love to go for a ride!

FlyHound – Having a fleet of airplanes at your disposal sounds pretty ideal… I was recently in the Azores and there is a Super Petrel hanging from the ceiling of the ferry terminal in Horta. Very cool little airplane. (Horta is a cool little slice of aviation history serving as a fuel stop on early transatlantic seaplane flights.)

NineThreeKilo wrote: ... For a around the world I’d take a skywagon like Tom Claytor http://claytor.com/ ...

SmokeyTheBear wrote:.....Thanks for the link on Tom Claytor. Been fun reading about his adventures. .....

His around-the-world trip seemed to kind of be interspersed with stints of working and/or otherwise staying in one area for a while.
National Geographic put together a film about Claytor's adventues flying in Africa.
I saw it on TV years ago, pretty interesting.

http://www.claytor.com/intro/FlightOverAfrica.html