BuffettNews.com

I figured there was something about the performance of a Cessna with floats over a Goose, Widgeon or Albatross (or even a Mallard). My point is that a Cessna vs. Goose etc... is that the Goose etc...is just much cooler to look at! The real deal and all that.

That Lake was moving very slow. It was very choppy yesterday and it looks like such a small plane. He must have taken off in the Tchefuncte. I've stood by the Albatross in Mobile and that is pretty big. I don't know if it's the biggest Albatross made, I know there are several different kinds, but it's big enough.

What's the surf board company that has an Albatross? I remember reading about that. Very cool.

both billabong and quicksilver got into the albatross business. i believe both have since got out.

albatrocies come in 2 variants, a long wing and short wing models. the long wing was created by adding a constant chord plug in the wing just outboard of the engine and a 30" wing tip extension. the fuselage is identical, the rudder is 4" longer and has a rounded cap at the top on the long wing version and elevator is slightly larger also. the long wing version also has a drooped leading edge literally riveted over the slotted leading edge of the short wing model.

The local airport here has a Lake Renegade, I saw it fly over the other day. Also, they used to manufacture them there, DW Hooks Airport. There is a long canal there used for that purpose.

In the new Jimmy Sports Illustrated video, in the begining there is a blue and yellow seaplane shown briefly at the start. A Widgeon,

http://home.gci.net/~aahm/planes/widgeon.html

Give me the classic look anyday...

I grew up watching the USCG launch Albatrosses at Dinner Key in Miami, and the Chalks Grummans take off out of the harbor. (And I used to pick mangos in the summer for friends of ours who were former PAA China Clipper pilots... )

The Grummans were built for heavy seas and are quite robust. They are as tough as you would expect for a millitary aircraft.
The Cessnas have to be babied a bit more, even with the float kit up-grades.
Another four place amphibious flying boat built in the late 40's is the Republic Seabee. Built for the war in the Pacific, but too late to see action, they are huge for a "little" plane. A high mounted pusher Franklin powers it, but many have been converted to a modern aircraft engine with better reliability and performance. The reversable beta prop allows for backing up in the water!
Commonly available fully restored for about $30,000 just 15 years ago, many are undergoing modern avionics upgrades and going for over $100,000 today.Still a bargain for a true four place rough water capable amphibian.

the navy design requirement for the albatross was open ocean operations in waves to 7 feet.

a cavaran is limited to about a foot, foot and a half wave height. much bigger waves and you risk swamping a float and cart-wheeling the plane.

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:the navy design requirement for the albatross was open ocean operations in waves to 7 feet.

a cavaran is limited to about a foot, foot and a half wave height. much bigger waves and you risk swamping a float and cart-wheeling the plane.

I was comparing the Caravan to the Goose.
The Caravan should be much cheaper to operate and maintain, easier to fly, cheaper to insure, and parts are easier to come by.
I've seen a few that were owner flown camped next to the Grummans, and my impression was that they were owned by guys that did more flying and had pretty busy lives and had ALL maintenence professionaly done, while the Grumman guys were more "hands on" types.
Might just be my impression, but the Cessna guys had other toys as well, while the big boat fliers devote their life to the high maintenance 100LL swilling wonders.

I've got two books on flying boats. I love them both but I prefer one over the other. They cover the entire history and have great pictures. I only got interseted in flying boats because my grandfather was in the Air Force and flew every kind of plane back in the day including an Albatross.

Then when JB got into them it only increased the interest. I'll probably never be able to own my own flying boat for real unless it's some model. I want to go for a water take off/landing in one before I die.

JustDucky wrote: I want to go for a water take off/landing in one before I die.

There is an easy way to get to do that, Pacific Coastal Airlines operates one of the largest fleets of Grumman Gooses. You can hope on one of there regular scheduled flights.

http://www.pacific-coastal.com/index.php

JustDucky wrote: I'll probably never be able to own my own flying boat for real unless it's some model. I want to go for a water take off/landing in one before I die.

There are several two-place 100 hp flying boat kits available that can be certified in the experimental amatuer built catagory.
For around $50,000 you can have one built for you.
$80,000 will buy you a brand new Mermaid, an all metal 2 place that loks like a Lake Renegade. They even called it the Lake Sport in it's prototype days.
It is certified in the new Sport Plane catagory, and all you need to fly it is a new Sport Pilot certificate. Twenty hours of training is all you need.
Used Sea Rey , Buccaneer, and Aventura 2 place 100 hp flying boats are for sale regularly for around $30,000.
There are a few sport pilot training centers that will give you a demo ride in one and let you take control of it.
Cheapest way to fly off the water?
A single place Quicksilver or M Squared open air craft, on inflatable floats, 2 stroke air cooled Rotax engine.
Brand new for around $15,000.
Or even cheaper yet: an inflatable boat with a "trike" (flex) wing attached.
A group in Merrit Island FL gives "lessons" (rides) in one for about $55/hour.

I have some pics of Euphoria and Euphoria II that I took many years ago, I'll dig thru my old photo albums and see if I can find and post them.

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:I have some pics of Euphoria and Euphoria II that I took many years ago, I'll dig thru my old photo albums and see if I can find and post them.

Very cool. Hope you find them.

Back to Margaritaville

Power & Motoryacht goes to Key West for the first test drive of Jimmy Buffett’s new Rybovich 42-foot Express Walkaround.
http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/boatt ... index.aspx

Float plane discussion.
My daughter flew a Beaver last summer. Thought it was about the best thing ever!
She learned on Cessnas with floats, and says they really don't have it but "the Beaver was made to fly".

Snowparrot wrote:Float plane discussion.
My daughter flew a Beaver last summer. Thought it was about the best thing ever!
She learned on Cessnas with floats, and says they really don't have it but "the Beaver was made to fly".

When I did my float training in a 160 HP Aeronca Sedan here in MI, other pilots told me how that was so much better than doing it the typical way in a J3 Cub over a 2 day period in Florida..
I then read "Water Flying Concepts" by Dale DeRemer, in which he recommended training in the DHC-2 Beaver if at all possible.
If going from the 65 hp cub to the 160 hp Aeronca was such a big step, I can't even begin to think of what it felt like for your daughter to be flying behind that big round engine doin' splash n' dashes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think you said she is now teaching English overseas?
I'm sure she loves it, but maybe Jimmy needs a Parrothead's daughter in his Aviation Dept. Better have her send him a resume'!!!!!!!!!!!

this would be an awesome boat for Jimmy... !!!! shallow draw for fishing, beaching, detachable boat for fishing, crusing, top deck for party time... the whole vessel can squat down too...

It comes in smaller sizes too... water skiing???

too cool!!! Looks like a major party boat!!!!





http://www.wam-v.com/

Mango Picker wrote:this would be an awesome boat for Jimmy... !!!! shallow draw for fishing, beaching, detachable boat for fishing, crusing, top deck for party time... the whole vessel can squat down too...

It comes in smaller sizes too... water skiing???

too cool!!! Looks like a major party boat!!!!





http://www.wam-v.com/

What, no SAILS!!!!!!
THAT is very cool, would luv to to take that for a buzz around the Bahamas for a week or two, and looks like there's a pretty nice party deck overhead

What about "CHILL" I think that's the name of it. I believe it's viewable in the Fenway cd/dvd video

From this site http://na.northsails.com/NortheNews/May05.htm
"Hinckley DS42 Hull #1, whose owner cruises the Chesapeake, carries Marathon 3DL working sails. Hull #2 is owned by singer/sailor Jimmy Buffett, who plans to do a lot of knocking around in breezy Caribbean conditions; the working sails are of robust Gatorback Spectra/Carbon. Hull #3, for a New England owner, will carry Marathon 3DL sails.

And from February 05 http://www.cruisingworld.com/article.js ... 19&catID=0

"Hinckley DS42 hull number two was in mid-construction last fall and about to receive a deck, while hull number three, which will have lifelines, was in the mold."

And on yet further investigation.........it's FOR SALE!!!!!!!!
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/ ... 75710&url=

Virtual Police wrote:What about "CHILL" I think that's the name of it. I believe it's viewable in the Fenway cd/dvd video

From this site http://na.northsails.com/NortheNews/May05.htm
"Hinckley DS42 Hull #1, whose owner cruises the Chesapeake, carries Marathon 3DL working sails. Hull #2 is owned by singer/sailor Jimmy Buffett, who plans to do a lot of knocking around in breezy Caribbean conditions; the working sails are of robust Gatorback Spectra/Carbon. Hull #3, for a New England owner, will carry Marathon 3DL sails.

And from February 05 http://www.cruisingworld.com/article.js ... 19&catID=0

"Hinckley DS42 hull number two was in mid-construction last fall and about to receive a deck, while hull number three, which will have lifelines, was in the mold."

And on yet further investigation.........it's FOR SALE!!!!!!!!
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/ ... 75710&url=

Thanks for passing that along!

I don't have anything to contribute, but this thread is certainly some cool reading!

jimmy owned a lake, a widgeon (now drowned) and a cessna citation II (his first jet) in the past...

albatross.....The widgeon is not drowned. Someone in mass bought the plane for next to nothing, took 6+ years to restore it, and now just sold it last year I believe