Warbird Information Exchange

In the early 1970s, my wife and I were considering buying a Seabee. Operational, licensed Seabees were available for as little as 5000 USD at that time. We figured we could store all our dive gear in the back, and just open the nose door to scuba dive wherever we wished. Problem with Seabees is that without the wing extensions and updated powerplant they don't have much of a load capacity. Obviously, there is a maximum prop size, and they require calm waters for a successful landing.

There is a seaplane base at Lake Berryessa, California (elevation 800 feet). There, tied to the dock, one will often find sets of Seabee landing gear. Removing this weight from the Seabee will actually allow the aircraft to make it to Lake Tahoe at 6,225 feet. On a good day, with a light load.

Unless they hauled it out, there is a Seabee at the bottom of Clear Lake, California (1300 feet). In Summer 1960, two of us were in a boat offshore surveying at Konocti Harbor on the western shore of Clear Lake. A Seabee came in, landed, then hit a submerged log - or possibly another object. The pilot was picked up by a pleasure boater, but the Seabee went down like a rock while we just watched, slack-jawed.

I still admire the Seabee, but haven't seen one in the wild for some time.