Thank you TOFO, I entirely agree with your post! These themes should be required reading for pilots. I am a civil trainer (fire department) in the fresh water (lake), including ice, aspect of ditching survival. Once a person has taken a cold water immersion course, and/or underwater egress course, your view to low altitude wheel plane flying over water, (including the silly folks who like to waterski their planes) will change.
The flying boat was not in service this afternoon for the hour long search I flew over our local lake for a suspected boat fire, so I took my C 150. Out over the middle of the lake, I did not descend out of shore gliding distance until our Fireboat was very nearby to support me. I was wearing the lifejacket required to be carried aboard. It's near the season where I wear a full dry immersion suit for this flying.
Four times in my life, an engine failure has put me back on earth - it happens. If' you're 25' off the water, you can't even turn more than 45 degrees, you're ditching a few hundred yards ahead. It is remarkably dumb to not give yourself some thinking and responsible acting time between silence and splash.
This topic has lots of merit in it's own right, and pilots who do not properly prepare with training, nor appropriate emergency equipment are at its basis. Well prepared pilots still hope to not ditch, but they plan to.
Honestly, if pilots out there doubt the seriousness and suddeness of this severe risk, take a spare set of clothes, a manually inflatable lifejacket, and a friend you really trust, and jump into cold ocean with your street/flying clothes on. Make sure your friend is ready to rescue you, you may need it.