Wallace Berry wrote in message ...
Wheel down is the safe way to land on water. I believe that "wheeling it
on", in other words, not a minimum energy landing is the way to go.
Locking the wheel brake (for gliders which have wheel brakes actuated by
other than the dive brake handle) might be a good idea. Bush pilots land
wheeled airplanes on water frequently. They lock the wheel brakes and
hydroplane on the surface right up to sandbars. What one bush pilot told
me was that in a Super Cub, as long as you were at 30 mph or above, the
plane would just ride along on the surface as if you were on pavement.
Even to the point that a hard touchdown would result in a bounce. I
wouldn't have believed him but he showed me videos of him and his
buddies landing on lakes. He also said that it was important to pick a
sandbar that was long enough to get back to 30 mph before you hit the
water. So, for water landings, it would be wheel down, brakes locked if
possible, land just like wheeling a 2-33 on at the local field.

Hope I don't ever have to try it out.


Water Landings:In order of importance
Gear Down
At least 2M of water depth- err on deeper side if in doubt.
Minimum energy
Parallel to shore
Into wind

From a pilot survival,and secondarily, glider damage point of view a water
landing is safer than a landing in trees.
AND much more embarassing when your friends hear about it.
UH