Any Seagull outboard experts?

[Nasher]

I've always loved Seagulls, outboards that is, but have never owned one.

Today I was given one by somebody at work who was clearing out his late Fathers garage over the weekend and was going to take it to the tip before thinking I might like it as I'm the resident Boat bloke at work.

I've read the serial number off it, LLSL 318G6, and from what I can find it's a July 1966 Century 100 4HP Long shaft.
Can anyone confirm that?

I can't believe he would even consider taking it to the tip as it's in really nice condition, not rusty and manky like most of them you see for £50 at boat jumbles, but not in immaculate restored condition either.
It's just got that great old, honest look to it as can be seen from the pictures, and even has what I assume are the original tools to go with it.
It has good compression, but I've not tried it for a spark yet. I'm hoping to get it started over the weekend.

It was apparently purchased by his father brand new, but strangely to his knowledge his father has never owned a boat, and all his life he's known it just leant up against the wall in the garage at the family home, so there is a possibility it's never been used in anger.

I really don't know what to do with it, I suggested to Mrs Nasher that I was going to clean it up and hang it on the wall on the landing, but she disagreed surprisingly.
I don't want it to just get dirty and covered in dust in my garage, but on the other hand it would be a shame to sell it as it's just a nice thing.
It's completely unsuitable for any boating I currently do, and Mrs Nasher tells me we don't have the space to buy the small clinker built harbour boat it deserves to be hung on.

I know it's not actually worth a huge amount, but have promised that if I sell it on I'll split what I get for it with the guy who gave it to me.

Nasher

 

[Gwylan]

This is a sort of albatross that you have hung around your neck. Only a matter of time before you have the anorak and several models in the shed you have bought so you can store and work on these new treasures.

You are moments away from full on devotion and scouring web sites looking for specific serial number engines and relevant parts

Then you will know more about engines that others who are trying to sell or want to respect the previous owner by including a price with too many noughts. You will know what the serial numbers mean in terms of good days and bad days.

Have an obsession, but know is it an obsession and respond accordingly

 

[seaangler23]

I have a few in various conditions, I just like pulling one out evey year for a potter, always fun to be given one that's absolutely hanging and it will start in a couple of minutes of tinkering

 

[jimmyk]

Take a look at the website saving old seagulls. Loads of info on there. And the chap who runs it is very helpful

 

[JumbleDuck]

Certainly looks like a Silver Century, and in nice condition at that - brass tank and no rust on the silencer. If you were near me I'd be falling over myself to give you a hundred and twenty quid for it, and you might haggle me up a bit.

 

[VicS]

I've always loved Seagulls, outboards that is, but have never owned one.

Today I was given one by somebody at work who was clearing out his late Fathers garage over the weekend and was going to take it to the tip before thinking I might like it as I'm the resident Boat bloke at work.

I've read the serial number off it, LLSL 318G6, and from what I can find it's a July 1966 Century 100 4HP Long shaft.
Can anyone confirm that?

Yes that is correct see http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/i_d_your_seagull/i_d_your_seagull.php?EngineNum=LLSL+318G6

Century 100 not Silver Century as JD suggests

http://www.britishseagullparts.com/Century-LSS.htm

£150 or a bit more perhaps. It is in exceptionally good nick
They fetch silly money when they turn up unused in their original crates.


Its an old Villers ignition system. Coil and/or condenser could be shot but spares available from John Williams


If you remove the flywheel be sure to do it as per the instructions on the website ... Don't use a puller.

 

[MOBY2]

Hi,

never had much luck with them...for outboards they make damn fine anchors, have actually ended up swimming when trying to get of a rough beach to get to the Fishing boat twice, they work great in a bin of freshwater at home but always failed when you really needed them, that said they do have a certain charm and were great when not much else about... when they first came out the fisherman in Selsey would row if no wind then when out of site would put the outboard over the transom and use it , haul the gear, steam back and take it off before rowing back the rest of the day because other fisherman frowned on them for being "soft"... my how times have changed.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Your research seems to be correct according to SOS. When it was made , England were world cup holders - better times altogether. Welcome to the weird world of Seagull collectors. I love mine, the noise and the smell are wonderful but the lack of clutch is a bit awkward. Do you cast off and hope it will start or start while still tied up and hope that you don't pull the back off the boat?

 

[FullCircle]

Here is a thought. I know an engineer who rebuilds them for crazy clients. Some pay 1500 quid or more for a full restoration.

 

[GrahamHR]

I hate them due to stranded moments in the 1970's; weigh it in for scrap !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MikeCC]

Stick it on any boat and enter the Lerryn Seagull Race. I can ask Nick Next Door who has an unseemly attachment to them if he is interested.

 

[adwuk]

I've always loved Seagulls, outboards that is, but have never owned one.

There is your answer right there! I, on the other hand, have owned one...

 

[ShinyShoe]

I love mine, the noise and the smell are wonderful but the lack of clutch is a bit awkward. Do you cast off and hope it will start or start while still tied up and hope that you don't pull the back off the boat?

Ditto - got mine in the summer and stuck it on a wee 2.3m tender. But you are right the lack of clutch is a PITA. On return to shore I posted some questions on the SoSG Forum as I was trying to leave a slipway with an onshore wind. They basically said the starting procedure should be like this:

Rig it all up and run your checks, start her (only 2 pulls ever needed on a properly set up gull. 4 maximum! ) Then immediately kill it. (I've since added a kill cord to mine which some say is sacrilage but cost <£5 adds a wee bit of safety and gives me some means to switch the engine off as by god the carb holds a lot of fuel when you want it to die. Then row out 50m and start her there. Haven't had the guts yet.

have actually ended up swimming when trying to get of a rough beach to get to the Fishing boat twice, they work great in a bin of freshwater at home but always failed when you really needed them

Row off and start seems to be the advice. I may have had a little swim too during the summer... ;-) Killed the engine having realised she wasn't going to let me out without fouling the prop. Then dropped an oar and went to fetch it. Water started off shallow... but got deeper!

This is a sort of albatross that you have hung around your neck. Only a matter of time before you have the anorak and several models in the shed you have bought so you can store and work on these new treasures.

Thats a particularly bad albatross too. All shiny and no rust, it could slip out your hands with those smooth surfaces. You wanna get rid of it quick, but don't be listening to the people on here about £150, I'd expect you to pay me at least £200 for that to take your risk away ;-)

Seriously if you can think of a use do. Its probably only 1.5HP! But its the simplest engine you'll ever own. It will take serious sh17. A few pointers:
There is a starting sequence on the SoS website. But its basically - fuel it (you need 25:1) - open fuel vent - open fuel tap - pump primer until fuel drips from carb - choke - pull cord once (IT will NEVER start on this pull unless it just stopped), pull again - she should start. If it pulls 4 times and doesn't start you've done something wrong. Recheck the above.

Mine had a few things wrong (had sat 10-15 years unused sold on ebay for £80 as untested). Fuel tap leaked - dismantle, soak cork in hot water replace. A felt washer perished - replaced. Points were dirty - cleaned up. That got her going. But she was a bit huffy. A check for spark one day resulted in the plug lead disintegrating. New plug lead, new plug for good measure, job done. If yours has sat as it sounds it has I'd expect the tap to have dried out, and the points to need a clean.

 

[lenten]

i fished 120 lobster pots 8/9 months a year with seagull 102---they are quirky but can be very reliable in expereinced hands---as shiny shoes said---they should start very easily---i would start mine on the trailer and run it for a minute or so---strong push off from the beach and would be disapointed if it didn t start first time---i did guard boat duties for a small seagull gathering for a couple of years----8 boats-- engines 50 +years old---3 hour harbour and open sea trip---no one broke down---check savingoldseagulls---they are very helpful----regards lenten

 

[ghostlymoron]

Mine won't seem to run on anything less than 1:20. Can't understand why, other 2 strokes are happy on 1:50.

 

[VicS]

Ditto - got mine in the summer and stuck it on a wee 2.3m tender. But you are right the lack of clutch is a PITA. On return to shore I posted some questions on the SoSG Forum as I was trying to leave a slipway with an onshore wind. They basically said the starting procedure should be like this:

Rig it all up and run your checks, start her (only 2 pulls ever needed on a properly set up gull. 4 maximum! ) Then immediately kill it. (I've since added a kill cord to mine which some say is sacrilage but cost <£5 adds a wee bit of safety and gives me some means to switch the engine off as by god the carb holds a lot of fuel when you want it to die. Then row out 50m and start her there. Haven't had the guts yet.


Row off and start seems to be the advice. I may have had a little swim too during the summer... ;-) Killed the engine having realised she wasn't going to let me out without fouling the prop. Then dropped an oar and went to fetch it. Water started off shallow... but got deeper!


Thats a particularly bad albatross too. All shiny and no rust, it could slip out your hands with those smooth surfaces. You wanna get rid of it quick, but don't be listening to the people on here about £150, I'd expect you to pay me at least £200 for that to take your risk away ;-)

Seriously if you can think of a use do. Its probably only 1.5HP! But its the simplest engine you'll ever own. It will take serious sh17. A few pointers:
There is a starting sequence on the SoS website. But its basically - fuel it (you need 25:1) - open fuel vent - open fuel tap - pump primer until fuel drips from carb - choke - pull cord once (IT will NEVER start on this pull unless it just stopped), pull again - she should start. If it pulls 4 times and doesn't start you've done something wrong. Recheck the above.

Mine had a few things wrong (had sat 10-15 years unused sold on ebay for £80 as untested). Fuel tap leaked - dismantle, soak cork in hot water replace. A felt washer perished - replaced. Points were dirty - cleaned up. That got her going. But she was a bit huffy. A check for spark one day resulted in the plug lead disintegrating. New plug lead, new plug for good measure, job done. If yours has sat as it sounds it has I'd expect the tap to have dried out, and the points to need a clean.

Mine won't seem to run on anything less than 1:20. Can't understand why, other 2 strokes are happy on 1:50.

10: 1 will be the correct fuel mix for this one !

From 1967 models onwards they can be converted to run on 25:1 by changing the carb needle ( or jets in the case of models with Amal carbs) but prior to that date they had smaller bearings and conversion is not recommended and may not prove to be satisfactory esp on well worn engines.
Engines that run on 50:1 have needle roller crankshaft bearings and lip seals. Seagulls have plain bearings and no seals, relying on the oil film in the bearing to act as a seal

 

[doug748]

Here is a thought. I know an engineer who rebuilds them for crazy clients. Some pay 1500 quid or more for a full restoration.

I have a superb model dating from 1990ish, practically unused, with all of the avant-garde Seagull refinements and spares. Under £200 sterling.

I was going to take it to the Monaco Boat Show but I thought I would give fellow forumites the first refusal

 

[Nasher]

All

Thanks for the comments, it appears Seagulls are the Marmite of the boating world.

I really would like to clean it up and keep it in the house as a piece of art, because I can appreciate the simple elegant design, but Mrs Nasher isn’t of the same opinion.

The comment about Seagull racing in intriguing, especially as it appears to be concentrated in Cornwall and my eldest son is at Uni in Falmouth.
Perhaps he and some friends can start a team.

Nasher

 

[ghostlymoron]

Thanks for that explanation, Vic. I think mine's a 1967 model it runs happily with the original needle on 1:20 but even with the replacement needle it hunts at 1:25. As it is now it saves a fortune in oil and doesn't lay such a dense smokescreen. The great thing about them is their longevity and I think the concerns over pollution are overstated.

10: 1 will be the correct fuel mix for this one !

From 1967 models onwards they can be converted to run on 25:1 by changing the carb needle ( or jets in the case of models with Amal carbs) but prior to that date they had smaller bearings and conversion is not recommended and may not prove to be satisfactory esp on well worn engines.
Engines that run on 50:1 have needle roller crankshaft bearings and lip seals. Seagulls have plain bearings and no seals, relying on the oil film in the bearing to act as a seal

 

[DanTribe]

Seagulls always remind me of family sailing holidays.
Wife and kids playing on the beach while I swore & took the rotten thing apart trying to find out why it wouldn't go.
They had a special oily, carbon smell you could never seem to get rid of.