Seaplane Parking; Docking; Beaching; Mooring/Anchoring - Cessna A185F 1976 Manual

Seaplane Parking

There are several ways we can secure the airplane on the water:
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Remember to remove seatbelts, headsets, and unlatch cabin doors before docking/beaching. It
is up to you to catch the airplane!

Docking

When possible, the aircraft should always be docked into the wind. Docking with a crosswind
must be done with extreme caution. The worst scenario is crosswind docking with the wind coming from
the dock side because the airplane tends to turn (weathervane) into the dock rather than blow away from
it.
Think of docking like flying a traffic pattern (downwind, base, final). This allows you to get the
plane lined up with the dock long before you get to it. Do not approach the dock at a 45 degree angle. A
seaplane is not a boat and no reverse or brakes. It is far less maneuverable than most boats and
approaching the dock at an angle can be a recipe for disaster.

Beaching

Before attempting to beach the aircraft, be sure of the shoreline. Rocks can cause serious
damage to the floats. Approach the beach straight on as slowly as possible. Cut the mixture before
reaching shore depending upon wind conditions. Don't forget to turn the master switch and mags off
before stepping out. Turn the aircraft tail-in towards shore and secure with ropes.

Mooring/Anchoring

In some cases where seaplane docks are not available and the shoreline is not suitable for
beaching. It may be necessary to moor the airplane offshore. The line from the mooring buoy should be
attached to the front struts of the floats or the propeller if you have a prop bridle rope.
For anchoring the plane use a ratio of 7:1 for the length of rope to the anchor for water depth.
Example- 10 feet of water use 70 feet of rope, but 50 feet will work as most ropes are 50 & 100'
Docking
Beaching
Mooring/Anchoring