New Member - Sea King 24

Silverfox58

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8F1351C1-73DB-4B3D-BA4F-63B17D6C0FD7.jpegNew Member - Sea King 24

I’m a new member and have just become the owner of a Sea King 24, SB Pisces.

This is my first foray into boat ownership, my sailing friends were initially very derisory of my decision to take a punt on a wooden boat, sitting in the original yard where it was built in Leigh on Sea. She hasn’t been in the water for a while, has had some Essex mud in her bilge but apart from a few holes seems in pretty good shape. Since her arrival home near Edinburgh all my sceptical friends now approve and share my fondness for her. Surprising amount of space, big cockpit, lots of nice mahogany and brass fittings, lots of character.

Plenty to do, learn along the way and hopefully she will float eventually. I’ve started repairing the stern decking and transom post from some old oak stable doors and frames that I had in my garden. An early version of blue Treadmaster like covering has protected the top side pretty well, there is some rot but a lot of it is like new. Some of the copper rivets look like they were fitted yesterday. Problem areas are where the vinyl has been penetrated with fixings. It’s got a Stuart Turner P55M that I will take out and see if I can get it going but not optimistic. Below the waterline the planking looks pretty good and nothing soft inside or outside so far. The iron centre board is pretty seized in place so that needs some investigation. I am not sure if I can see daylight through some of the planking. A lot of the rigging hardware has been plundered which is a nuisance but she has a good mast, bowsprit and some sails.

I’ve restored a few old cars, can sharpen a chisel but am going to need all your help and advice to see the restoration of Pisces through to a successful splash in a reasonable time.
 

White socks

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Good luck with your project I’m sure with plenty of effort she will look great and get much admiration.
I’ve-just gone for grp after years of owning wood, last boat was a 52’ James noble trawler conversion and that’s put me off wood for life?
Post up some pics of your progress I will be following with interest.
 

MoodySabre

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A friend had his SeaKing (Selina) for over 30 years and only sold it due to health issues. He had put a new engine in it - worth more than the boat! This boat is still in Leigh-on-Sea. He used to have it lifted in the winter and in the spring he'd fill up the bilges from a hose and keeping topping it up daily until she was tight again. Enjoy a bit of our local production.
 

penfold

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Some hungry moths you've got there. P55s are more of a hobby than a reliable means of propulsion, although they are a lot quieter than diesels(even when running).
 

Silverfox58

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Thanks guys, yes Sea Kings seemed to stay close to their home in Little Leigh, not sure I will see many in Scotland. And heard P55’s are best kept for steam rally’s. All the bolts are off the engine and ready to lift out once I rig up a lifting frame. We will see if that’s a one way journey for the Stuart Turner. Alternative propulsion ideas welcome! Here is a little whittling work I’ve done. Some Treadmaster samples, Blue or White decks and Coach Roof? Photo to follow.
 

Silverfox58

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Before
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36691C47-EBA9-46AA-8AE9-8545B8BA8FC5.jpeg
After (Dry Fit)
D2832C82-6211-4E85-91D1-6124B865E835.jpeg
 

Tranona

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Thanks guys, yes Sea Kings seemed to stay close to their home in Little Leigh, not sure I will see many in Scotland. And heard P55’s are best kept for steam rally’s. All the bolts are off the engine and ready to lift out once I rig up a lifting frame. We will see if that’s a one way journey for the Stuart Turner. Alternative propulsion ideas welcome! Here is a little whittling work I’ve done. Some Treadmaster samples, Blue or White decks and Coach Roof? Photo to follow.
I lived with a P55ME for over 10 years, probably half of them trouble free and the other half a nightmare. Biggest problem was ignition but OK once I got the impulse magneto just right, but then it would run forever once it was hot, but as soon as you throttled back it would cool and plugs would oil up!

Anyway, the first replacement was a Yanmar 1GM which fitted in the same space but that was short of power, but totally reliable. Then replaced with a Nanni 14 which also fitted in the same space. New you are looking at £5k plus - you need at least a new shaft and prop plus changing to diesel (new tank and lines) and a wet exhaust. However you can usually get a secondhand Yanmar/Beta/Nanni for around £2k and installation bits , shaft exhaust etc around another £1k.
 

Silverfox58

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Nice to see another Sea King at sea as well.
All the talk of engines encouraged me to pull out my wee Stuart Turner today. Came out quite easily with a few chains and pulleys. It’s not the P55ME, no electric start but does have a points and coils ignition. It’s a heavy little blighter, so sitting on deck at the moment but ill get it in the garage and see if it will come apart. The fact it has been sitting with no plugs in for years is not good, the head is well seized on. I understand that the four cooling tower studs go right through, they seem the most corroded. I’m going to have a go at making it work and if it shows signs of life put electronic ignition on it.
It will be a while before I need an engine but better to know what I’m in for now. Cost of an engine is about the same as chartering a nice yacht in the BVI’s so if I disappear you know what happened.

Not sure why my photos are turning? Ill try and sort it879A4E18-93C4-479F-848E-BE31AF96A067.jpeg
 

jamie N

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You have engineering sense, so fitting an engine won't be out of range for you. Your challenge will be to do it swiftly, so that you can sail this year. If you've set your date for next year, then that's easier for you of course, but an outboard can work well if it is this year. I fitted a Honda 2.3 to my Folkboat as I couldn't get the engine to work, and it took a day to make an outboard bracket, and away we went up to Kirkwall!
The engine in your pictures look like a project, which is a kind way a saying to go onto Apollo Duck and root around. I've just sold an RC8D which would've been OK for you, but not ideal. As others have said, one of the mainstream motor's will be a good choice, and it's quite likely that you'd be able to fit it yourself.
You also mention the hull, and the possibility of 'daylight'. You'll know this, but splashing a hose around for 20 minutes will indicate whether it's a normal wooden boat problem, or a bigger (but still normal) problem.
 

Tranona

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This company always has a good range of used engines. Currently a nice Volvo D1 13 for just under £3k, couple of 1 GMs under £2k plus older Volvos, Vetus Westerbeke. advantage of buying from them is they come with lots of installation gear and have usually been cleaned up, serviced and test run.
marineenterprisesltd.co.uk
 

Silverfox58

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Thanks all, some good advice on the engine front, an outboard may indeed be a good stop gap if I’ve got enough of the other work done and I want to splash this season. Ill focus on the woodwork over the next few months while keeping an eye out for an engine bargain. The Stuart Turner I think will become “garage art”. Wood steaming next, going to bend some larch foe a few repairs on the top planks, then remove all the fittings and new Treadmaster on the decks and coach roof. Sounds easy!
 
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