Thoughts on Lake Buccaneer?

[psween]

So at this point I'm just wishful thinking/ dreaming about next planes. I fly a 150 now, but wife would like to step up to 4 seats. I have been watching way too many videos and reading way to many articles about amphibians. I'm hoping to get some float time this summer just because I've always wanted to, and it seems like a Lake Buccaneer would tick an awful lot of boxes for me.

I'm low time PP ASEL now, so my biggest concern would be insurance. My hangar would hold it, my backyard strip is 2500' and should handle it, my A&P cert would let me work on it, I have a vacation house about 85 nm away on a lake big enough to comfortable land and take off from it. And I live in MN with a lot of water around to explore.. Plus it just looks like a tremendous amount of fun.

Performance looks to be pretty similar to a 172 in most areas, which would be fine. Tell me if I'm crazy or would a Lake be my perfect plane?

 

[Magman]

The Lake will do what few others will.

It looks they are still supported by the current mfg REVO.

There seems to be several type clubs that could give you specific input.

Hull Insurance may be pricey is my guess.

Build your work stands!

 

[skippers]

We have owned 4 Lakes over 30 years. Similar situation with a Lake house 100 miles away. Sandy beach and would taxi into the front yard. The smaller Lakes are really not 4 person aircraft, not only from a room perspective but also performance. Best of the smaller Lakes was an EP. We truly loved are Renegade and only once put 5 people in it when the kids were small 8-10 years old. The performance of the Renegade off the water is far superior to the other Lakes. They do fine on grass with stout gear and the prop is up and out of the way.
In those 30 years we never carried hull insurance was simply too expensive. For the liability still had to take recurrent annual training. I got my private and single engine sea in our first Lake. Had to wait out a line of thunderstorms on the Saint Johns River in the middle of the check ride. Couldn't get real close the the shore and had to carry the lady DPE on my shoulders into a fishing shack to wait the line out. Probably why she passed me. Now we live in Montana and have a Huskey but still miss the Lakes.

 

[weilke]

Talk to the shops in Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids and Perham. I remember seeing one or two Lakes in that area about 10 years back.

 

[Dan Thomas]

The Lake will do what few others will.

It looks they are still supported by the current mfg REVO.

Revo has been for sale for a long time, and the last I checked they still were. There was one guy in the office, selling what few parts they still had, and that wasn't many at all. No airplanes being built.

Lake Central Air Services in Ontario, Canada, has some PDA/STC parts.

Lakes are a real maintenance pain. Awkward, I suppose, is the word. There is so much that is nearly inaccessible, and working on the engine requires lots of makeshift scaffolding of some sort to avoid stepping on the fuselage and denting the frames or skins. Just getting at the engine controls like throttle and mixture is quite the hassle. Everything takes longer. The airframe has its weaknesses (like the horizontal stab AD). Water causes corrosion, and pounding across the waves can crack the bulkheads in the hull. Getting under the floor to inspect the structure means that the entire interior has to come out.
Water gets into the wheel bearings, and even with waterproof grease the bearings rust out. A lot of Lakes had Gerdes wheel and brakes and gear retraction hydraulics, and parts aren't available for any of that other than standard MS O-rings and the Timken wheel bearings. The trim and flaps are also hydraulic.

In short, adding flight capabilities usually means adding maintenance costs. Be prepared. I always wanted a Lake, until I worked on one.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

working on the engine requires lots of makeshift scaffolding of some sort to avoid stepping on the fuselage and denting the frames or skins.

Colonial Skimmer (Lake predecessor) down at the end of the hangar row - owner has a set of specifically made platforms to set up for maintenance.
Dunno if the newer ones are different, but no heat. Something to think about in Minnesota.
Lots of hydraulics.
Cool airplane though.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Colonial Skimmer (Lake predecessor) down at the end of the hangar row - owner has a set of specifically made platforms to set up for maintenance.
Dunno if the newer ones are different, but no heat. Something to think about in Minnesota.
Lots of hydraulics.
Cool airplane though.

The one I maintained had a Southwind combustion heater. Those things have ADs of their own.

See the big lump on top of the cabin, ahead of the engine pylon? That's the combustion heater. No lump, no heater.

 

[Oldmanb777]

They are really neat. I have a friend who has a Renegade. I'm' jealous. Some strange handling characteristics. He has probably 25K+ hrs and at least 500 on floats, and couldn't buy hull ins. Good luck, hope you find one.

 

[SoonerAviator]

Always thought the Lake Renegade was cool, but I think I'd rather have a C180 on amphib floats or similar. Docking made easier since the wings are up high and less of the aircraft structure submerged in water. Beaver amphib would be my ultimate seaplane if money weren't a factor.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk

 

[FredFenster]

You're pretty close to Wisconsin Rapids, Wings Air has a Buccaneer there you can get dual instruction in to see if its for you. If you think you want one now it gets really bad after your first water landing.

Some insurance companies will save a few bucks before you get your SES rating and insure them for land use only. Then the rates aren't much different from other complex singles and you're building time in type.

 

[EdFred]

I'd take one over a Chief.

 

[weilke]

Always thought the Lake Renegade was cool, but I think I'd rather have a C180 on amphib floats or similar. Docking made easier since the wings are up high and less of the aircraft structure submerged in water. Beaver amphib would be my ultimate seaplane if money weren't a factor.

They seem to work best with a beach or a ramp. When I worked in MN lakes country, the local realtor tried to sell me on a lake house. One of the properties he showed me was a former resort and had both a beach and wide concrete ramp. That would have been a great place for a small flying boat. Another home he showed me had a marine railway into the lake and a hangar with a supercub on amphibs underneath the main floor. The house was built into the cliff (concrete hangar/basement, heavy timber for the living quaters) and you walked out on a second floor deck looking out on the lake .

 

[GRG55]

...and a hangar with a supercub on amphibs underneath the main floor. The house was built into the cliff (concrete hangar/basement, heavy timber for the living quaters) and you walked out on a second floor deck looking out on the lake .

I grew up on the west coast. Back in the 1960s my Dad's boss had a house/hangar like that on the salt water with a 180 on floats in the "basement". His setup was a bit trickier due to the large tides.

 

[psween]

Thanks for the responses. Docking is one area where a high wing on amphib floats would be better, my lake house doesn't have a beach or ramp, but man do they want a king's ransom for something like a 180 on floats! Looks like the smaller Lakes start in the 55-60K range, which is at least in the realm of possible.

Thanks also for the tip about Wings Air in Wisconsin, they're only about 120 nm from me. I talked to them today and plan to do a Flight Review in May in their Buccaneer. Need one anyway and this will let me see if it's something to get more serious about.

 

[Gilgamesh]

Love the Lake Buccaneer - where else can you find a amphibious aircraft with seats for 4 for under 50K?

OP - I just left MN/WI and sold mine, but my recommendation if you are serious about water-ops, definitely find a Buccaneer and have some fun. When I could, I parked it on the St Louis river - my wife and I made a trip to Isle Royal, several to Voyageurs national park, and of course all the other northern lakes and rivers in between. Don't let the mid-wing scare you - I haven't encountered a dock that the wing wouldn't fit over - you do have to be careful not to catch/wack the sponson, but that's pretty easy to manage.

Annuals were OK - yes there's a lot under the floorboards, but pulling the interior is pretty easy and then you can access everything. Yes - a ladder or scaffolding is essential for engine work. Yes insurance was expensive, I'm a IR commercial with 100+ in type and it still was ~$3K-ish with a 10% deductible on the hull.

anyway - feel free to PM me if you want more info.

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