I like what you ended up with. This is common for single floatplane docks and seems to work well. Park on the outside when the wx is nice or if you're coming/going. Move plane to inside the L for parking/storage. Beautiful airplane, dock, and lake!

I agree with Asa, but my paranoia from living/working in harsh climates still makes me cringe just a bit. So, take this for what it’s worth, if your site is indeed very well sheltered. But, remember, “prevailing winds” do not exclude strong winds from a different direction.

With that preface, I’ll say, as before, I do not like to leave a seaplane floating alongside a dock untended. I know, I know….read the statement above.

Secondly, I can’t tell how those dock sections are secured. A big wind and that airplane becomes a huge sail, and the dock goes with it….wherever, which may or may not get ugly.

So, I’ll say it again: I prefer to keep the plane firmly stuck on a ramp, with that ramp firmly attached to terra firma. Remember, those Aerocets don’t leak…..except for one possibility: From the pumpouts. I’ve seen aft compartments flood from wave action. May take all night, but. Airplane floating free, tied to dock=sunk in the AM.

Again, my paranoia, so take it for what it’s worth. But, there are these things called “Hundred Year Storms” and “Five Hundred Year Storms”, after all.

MTV

mtv wrote:I agree with Asa, but my paranoia from living/working in harsh climates still makes me cringe just a bit. So, take this for what it’s worth, if your site is indeed very well sheltered. But, remember, “prevailing winds” do not exclude strong winds from a different direction.

With that preface, I’ll say, as before, I do not like to leave a seaplane floating alongside a dock untended. I know, I know….read the statement above.

Secondly, I can’t tell how those dock sections are secured. A big wind and that airplane becomes a huge sail, and the dock goes with it….wherever, which may or may not get ugly.

So, I’ll say it again: I prefer to keep the plane firmly stuck on a ramp, with that ramp firmly attached to terra firma. Remember, those Aerocets don’t leak…..except for one possibility: From the pumpouts. I’ve seen aft compartments flood from wave action. May take all night, but. Airplane floating free, tied to dock=sunk in the AM.

Again, my paranoia, so take it for what it’s worth. But, there are these things called “Hundred Year Storms” and “Five Hundred Year Storms”, after all.

MTV

Someone once told me
Seaplanes are trying to sink half the time
Amphibs are trying to sink all the time

With my old house where I had the plane on the river, occasionally for a night or two before back to the hangar, I had her sit where she would have her keels ontop mud and some lines to secure her that way, free floating without eyes on the plane always made me nervous

On my dock, I dug down a few feet and pounded a few 5 foot lengths of heavy galvanized angle iron into the ground between the rocks with a sledge hammer before pouring concrete. Then sunk a couple 300lb pieces of concrete into the mud for tie downs.

So far it's survived 40mph winds with the plane on it.

I try to get the plane pulled out and put in a hangar when a storm is coming.

Ross4289 wrote:I try to get the plane pulled out and put in a hangar when a storm is coming.

Cuz up here you might survive the wind but the hail will turn your sweetie into a golf ball.