Fed up with rebuilding British Seagulls...

I've got a Seagull Featherlite (or am I confusing the name with something else), anyroad I don't use it much but when I do, it always starts and runs well and the noise of it cheers me up. It dates from 1967 so, nearly 50 years old. Must admit it has drawbacks - heavy oil consumption, exposed rotating parts, visible cloud of smoke in your trail but does a job. Little Honda 2.3 - economical, lightweight, safe to use starts well but will it still be here in 50 years?
 
It's easy to move a boat on flat water. One horse can move 30 tons on a canal.
blackfish said:
I have to say that that is quite impressive. We have a Virgo Voyager 23 with considerably less displacement than a Centaur. Also we have an outboard bracket on the transom, so I reckon the little Honda would be a good belt and braces job should the Bukh inboard go kaput.
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Tam Lin said:
I think it was from new. I only used it a couple of times before Tam Lin came out of the water and it was a while before I used it again. I thought it was me getting used to a new motor at first. It has been to a marine engineer who also thinks it is a POS. As I said, Google it.
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I Googled it and found the great reviews on YBW.

So I bought one ........ but immediately stuck a small fuel filter on it before it was ever started as tiny particles of dirt cause problems for the tiny jets ..... which lead to the engine randomly cutting out.

Result = excellent little Suzuki outboard. :encouragement:

Richard
 
Tam Lin said:
I think it was from new. I only used it a couple of times before Tam Lin came out of the water and it was a while before I used it again. I thought it was me getting used to a new motor at first. It has been to a marine engineer who also thinks it is a POS. As I said, Google it.
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I've read all the horror stories. I've had very little trouble with mine. I was just wondering if there are good and bad ones, and if I had the problems to look forward to. I don't suppose they all cause problems as they seem to sell well. The main problem with them seems to be a weak mixture, and the mixture screw is not adjustable, (though there's a work-around on YouTube). As I said I've yet to have any serious problems with mine. Sometimes it takes two or three pulls to start, and it's stalled unaccountably on a couple of occasions. But I've never had an outboard that I couldn't say that of.
 
RichardS said:
I Googled it and found the great reviews on YBW.

So I bought one ........ but immediately stuck a small fuel filter on it before it was ever started as tiny particles of dirt cause problems for the tiny jets ..... which lead to the engine randomly cutting out.

Result = excellent little Suzuki outboard. :encouragement:

Richard
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That sounds interesting, could you supply more details, please?
 
I have a Yamaha 2hp 2 stroke.
SWMBO can start it.
That would be the main criterion when I need another outboard.
A motor that only one of us can use is only half as useful (sometimes), so I'd be dragging her to the local outboard shops...
On the whole, I think Yamaha is always a good choice, if a bit dearer.
But if you are not going to service it yourself, the local servicing bloke is as important as the motor itself, if you have a good Suzuki or Tohatsu dealer that might be a better package than a Yam with no local expert?
 
lw395 said:
I have a Yamaha 2hp 2 stroke.
SWMBO can start it.
That would be the main criterion when I need another outboard.
A motor that only one of us can use is only half as useful (sometimes), so I'd be dragging her to the local outboard shops...
On the whole, I think Yamaha is always a good choice, if a bit dearer.
But if you are not going to service it yourself, the local servicing bloke is as important as the motor itself, if you have a good Suzuki or Tohatsu dealer that might be a better package than a Yam with no local expert?
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There is a technique for starting the Suzuki.You pull the cord until you feel compression stroke.Then return the handle against the case and give a sharp pull. I will say it does not start as reliably as my 2 stroke johnson/tohatsu.
Has anyone tried to drill out the plug covering the mixture adjustment? I tried but lost my courage as the aluminium plug seemed thicker than that described on the youtube video.Mine is a 2012 model. Maybe they changed the design as there is no indication of a mixture adjustment on the parts diagram. I found it easy to dismantle the carb and clean with carb cleaner,The bowl was clean as a whistle unlike the two stoke which always seem to collect black crud.
 
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instructions for an outboard engine

1. Start preparations

1.1 Press to move the carburetor to ascend of note the button, until the oil arrive transparent pipeline coping.

1.2 Let the choke hand handle place in the close position. If hot machine, can the choke hand handle place in all open the position

2. Start

2.1 Pull to start

The slowly pulls to start the hand handle four to six times, again slow-moving pull to begin the handle until pull the rope to stretch tight, then makes an effort to quickly pull to move, start to launch the machine.

While starting, if the inhalation gasoline is excessive to result in starting difficulty, and can dismantle the spark plug. All open the choke door to pull the hand handle five to six times, then pack the spark plug, and press above method to afresh start.

2.2 After the outboard motor starting, low speed to resolove to prepare the heat three to five minutes, turn according to what need, adjust to the acceleraator homologous position.

3. Shut down the machine

Let the engine turn to the lowest rotating speed, revolve 30 seconds is above, then shut down.

Please not to close the choke to shut down, otherwise result the first and the engine damage.
 
dylanwinter said:
instructions for an outboard engine

1. Start preparations

1.1 Press to move the carburetor to ascend of note the button, until the oil arrive transparent pipeline coping.

1.2 Let the choke hand handle place in the close position. If hot machine, can the choke hand handle place in all open the position

2. Start

2.1 Pull to start

The slowly pulls to start the hand handle four to six times, again slow-moving pull to begin the handle until pull the rope to stretch tight, then makes an effort to quickly pull to move, start to launch the machine.

While starting, if the inhalation gasoline is excessive to result in starting difficulty, and can dismantle the spark plug. All open the choke door to pull the hand handle five to six times, then pack the spark plug, and press above method to afresh start.

2.2 After the outboard motor starting, low speed to resolove to prepare the heat three to five minutes, turn according to what need, adjust to the acceleraator homologous position.

3. Shut down the machine

Let the engine turn to the lowest rotating speed, revolve 30 seconds is above, then shut down.

Please not to close the choke to shut down, otherwise result the first and the engine damage.
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I wish I'd known all that 30 years ago. I'll give it a try tomorrow.
 
I don't see how it can be fine when it stops occasionally for no apparent reason. Reliable running is surely the number one consideration, weight, economy and price are secondary. If I were you , I'd take it back to the supplier. (even though it's out of warranty, it's still required to be fit for purpose.)
StormNorm said:
I've had a Suzuki 2.5 for two seasons now. It's been fine. It stops unaccountably occasionally, but has always restarted straight away. I give it fairly light use, though. I find it heavy but doable.
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My outboard of choice is the two-stroke 3hp and 3.5 hp Johnson. The 3.5 is better-it has a neutral.

Very light, very simple to service , very reliable and easy to start.

My current 3.5 did not start once.

I had to pull the cord a second time.............................
 
ghostlymoron said:
I don't see how it can be fine when it stops occasionally for no apparent reason. Reliable running is surely the number one consideration, weight, economy and price are secondary. If I were you , I'd take it back to the supplier. (even though it's out of warranty, it's still required to be fit for purpose.)
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I think the supplier would want to see the servicing records?
99% of outboards stopping 'for no apparent reason' is water in the carb.
Not entirely the manufacturer's fault.
 
Well, now that he has a 99% diagnosis, the problem shouldn't occur again. Presumably he'd have found that out if he' gone back to the supplier as I suggested.
 
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