Ian Proctor Seagull

[Seadog108]

The publicity blurb for the last Earls Court Boat Show says: Goodbye to Earls Court. January 1960 saw the fledgling Daily Express National Boat Show open in ‘the great hall’ at Earls Court. Entry cost three shillings, a DIY kit for an 18ft 6in Seagull sloop was £300

I own a Seagull sloop (Patience) and need access to the original plans to sort a couple of problems. Any other plywood classic Seagull owners out there or any idea where I can get hold of the plans?


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[bob26]

These were made by Bell Woodworking Ltd who also supplied them in kit form like the Mirror dinghies.

No idea if they still exist but they used to be:

Bell Woodworking Ltd
153 Parker Drive
Leicester
Leicestershire
LE4 0JP
UK
T. +44 (0)116 234 0088
F. +44 (0)116 234 0295


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[oldharry]

No good contacting Bell - they threw all the Seagull and Seamew stuff away years ago. I had a Seamew for a while, and while they were 'politely interested', they really did not want to know - or help!

They were built very simply with a plywood skin over a wooden frame, and designed for amateur construction. What are the problems you are needing to sort? The assembled knowledge of forumites will almost certainly sort it for you (myself included having worked extensively on my Seamew!)
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by oldharry on 04/01/2004 09:17 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Seadog108]

The main problem is the lifting keel which has not been touched for at least 10 years. What is the easiest way to get this out of the boat for repainting and attaching a new lifting rope- there is a small inspection port on the casing? What stops the keel from dropping out of the boat? What is the best way of replacing the aft deck area just forward of the transom? How would you go about replacing the entire transom, if necessary?

Any help appreciated

Jerry

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[oldharry]

Aha! I had exactly the same problems (amongst others) on my Seamew. Getting the keel out is theoretically easy. The keel should have pegs at the fore and aft edges near the top with Tufnol rollers. These served to hold the keel in place, and acted as stops to prevent it falling out altogether. My keel also had 2 flanges which were simply bolted across the top edge, as a further means of stopping it. Not needed not original, and a total **** to remove! Dismantle the upper keel case section both sides to remove the tufnol rollers, then knock the pin(s) out. Disconnect the keel lift mechanism from the top of the keel, and lift the boat off.

That is the theory at least. Mine were well rusted and took several days to shift. The keel dropped out quite happily, but putting it back (again lifting the boat onto the keel) was -er - interesting, to say the least! The keel did not want to re-enter the slot for some reason

As we had a yard crane handy this was the obvious way. Otherwise the boat needs to be on a staging high enough to be able to lower the keel down on its own lift mechanism. An attack of ingenuities sets in at this point if a crane isnt available. You could try floating it off the keel on a rising tide, but you would need a diver to locate it all to put it back!


Now to the transom: I beleive the Seagull has the same slightly curved transom as the Seamew? It doesnt matter - they are all fastened the same way. The decking is simply glued and screwed into place, and can be pulled off, and the frame facings cleaned up to take the new sheeting. It may be easier to release the gunwaling strip each side for about 6 feet - again its glued and screwed into place on the frames. This will also allow you to check the top edge of the side sheeting as, if water has penetrated the end grain of the ply, it too will be soft. The deck sheet should overlap the endgrain of the hull side sheeting, and its own endgrain is then protected by the guwale strake. Similarly the endgrain of the transom is protected by the deck and hull sheeting.

The transom is built up of several layers of standard thickness ply (I think it was 8mm) glued and screwed the same as the rest of the hull sheeting. Having removed the stern deck it will be easy to cut through the old transom without damaging the frames. Its then just a matter of cleaning the frames back and fastening new sheets of ply. I fastened everything back using epoxy, and brass screws which simply served to hold it all together while the epoxy went off.

Basically the beauty of these boats from the repairs point of view is that everything was screwed and glued to a framework, so that if the ply is damaged its simply a matter of clearing back to the frames, and starting again. As you know they were designed for home builders who were not expected have the tools or skills to do anything sophisticated by way of carpentry.

Good luck, and feel free to I.M. me if you need to! Would offer to come over and give a hand in return for a ride in the Chopper - but its a bit far for a weekend!



<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by oldharry on 04/01/2004 17:46 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Seadog108]

Thanks oldharry - will reply by PM

Jerry

Still would like to hear from any other Seagull owners....

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[seagullfituo]

Have owned a Seaull for about 5 years.Cracking.Cheap and cheerful.
The keel had been fixed on mine previously but watch out for the weights. Mine fell of whilst working in the cabin(on dry land at the time)Hell of a bang! The main man to speak to is Edwin Dewhirst who knows where many Seaulls and Seamews are berthed,has owned one for about twenty five years,crossed the Irish Sea umpteen times and also I believe has drawings. If you E. mail me I'll foreward Edwins E.mail address.
On the subject of Bells,When I rang them I was lucky enough to speak to a retired guy who just came in to help out.Bearing in mind these boats were built from 1958 this chap must have been long past retiring age but was most helpful as I had to rebuild the tabernackle and needed help as they seemed to build the deck around it.He confirmed this.
Happy Seagull days

New boy. Forgot E mail address. johnbriggs.crown@virgin.net<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by seagullfituo on 14/01/2004 22:14 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[orsonkart]

hi any seagull owners about?

 

[RichardS]

hi any seagull owners about?

Welcome to the Forum.

I think you may have broken a record with a 12 year thread revival. I'm rather surprised as there are many much more recent threads which mention Seagulls.

You will get a lot more replies if you start a new thread with "Seagull" in the title and, ideally, a specific question or point about Seagulls as your current question is likely to elicit the answer "No".

Richard