<<Why would you want to extend the landing gear for a water landing
even with the landing lights on the nose gear I would keep the wheels
up.  The hazards with the wheels down are too extreme to consider unless
that is your only option (Cessna 182).>>

Not trying to start a whole new thread here, but one "expert", which I am
not, said to land with the gear down - it will slow the plane very fast,
minimizing the chance of catching a wingtip and cartwheeling.  With the gear
up one wing will likely catch a wave and turn the plane at high speed,
making for a mess.  The idea of just skiing along like a seaplane is
apparently not realistic.  He said that with the gear down the plane will
not pitchpole, but will just stop quickly.  I think the few water landings
that have been done confirm this. UMMV.

Gary Casey
C177RG, ES project