Seaplanes & Floatplanes for Sale
Floatplanes and seaplanes.
About Seaplanes & Floatplanes for Sale
Seaplanes are the most romantic aircraft in general aviation. A floatplane can take you to a lake nobody else can reach, land in a remote bay, and tie up to a dock at the cabin door — flying as adventure, not as transportation. The category lives in places where roads stop and water begins: Alaska, the Canadian north, Scandinavia, Italy's lake district, the Maldives, the islands of Indonesia.
Most seaplanes are conversions of certified landplanes fitted with floats — typically Wipline, EDO, Aerocet, Baumann, or Aventura floats. A Cessna 185 on Wiplines, a Super Cub on EDO 2000s, a De Havilland Beaver on stock or modified floats are all archetypes of the category. Purpose-built seaplanes (Lake Amphibian, Icon A5) and modern composite designs occupy smaller but growing segments.
On MarketplaceAviation we list seaplanes from operators, owner-pilots and dealers worldwide. Listings include float type and time, hull condition (if amphibious), recent water rudder service, and the aircraft's history on salt or fresh water — every detail matters when you're buying an airframe that has spent its life next to water.
Most popular models in this category
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
The legendary bush plane — radial or turbine conversions worldwide.
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Bigger Beaver — single Pratt R-1340 or turbine, heavy lift.
Cessna 180 / 185 Skywagon on floats
The most popular seaplane in the world — Wipline 3000 / 3450 common.
Piper PA-18 Super Cub on floats
Backcountry classic — EDO 2000 / 2200 floats typical.
Cessna 206 / U206 on floats
Heavy hauler — pilot + 5 + gear capability on Aerocet 3500L.
Aviat Husky on floats
Modern Super Cub equivalent — 180 hp, taildragger floatplane.
Maule M-5 / M-7 on floats
STOL specialist — short take-off from confined water.
Icon A5
Modern composite LSA amphibious — game-changer for the segment.
What to verify before you buy
Float condition — never assume
Floats are aluminium or composite structures filled with air. They corrode, dent, develop hairline cracks, and leak. Have any seaplane pre-buy include a hull pressure check on every float compartment. Float replacement is \$30,000–\$80,000 — verify what you are buying.
Salt water vs fresh water history
An aircraft operated exclusively on freshwater is dramatically different from one used on saltwater. Saltwater corrodes everything — float skins, control cables, engine accessories, magnesium parts. Always ask, and inspect carefully for galvanic and intergranular corrosion.
Water rudder and rigging
Water rudders, retract mechanisms, cables, pulleys and rigging take serious abuse from constant water immersion. Verify the last service and current operation. A failed water rudder mid-step is a serious safety issue.
Seaplane rating and training
You need a seaplane class rating (SES single-engine seaplane, MES multi-engine seaplane). Most insurance requires 25–50 seaplane hours before quoting an owner-pilot policy. Recurrent water training is widely expected by insurers — budget accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a used seaplane cost? +
A clean Piper Super Cub on EDO floats typically trades between \$120,000 and \$200,000. A Cessna 185 on Wipline floats sits at \$220,000–\$400,000 depending on engine and avionics. A turbine Beaver reaches \$700,000–\$1,200,000. Modern Icon A5 amphibious LSA: \$300,000–\$450,000.
Can I take my Cessna 172 and put it on floats? +
Technically yes, with a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and the correct float installation, but the result is poor. The 172 is underpowered for float operation in most conditions. The Cessna 180/185 or 206 are the practical Cessna-family floatplanes, with the engine power to handle the float drag.
Do I need a seaplane rating to fly a floatplane? +
Yes — you need an SES (Single-Engine Sea) class rating added to your pilot certificate. Training typically takes 10–15 hours of dual instruction at \$300–\$500 per hour, depending on location. Most insurance also requires recurrent annual training to keep the policy current.
Are seaplane listings free on MarketplaceAviation? +
Yes. Listing your seaplane or floatplane is free worldwide with up to two photos and no time limit. Optional boosts feature your listing at the top of search and category results — useful for unique aircraft with a narrow but global buyer audience.