Saving Old Seagulls

Hi all.just a few lines to say hi and introduce myself.names Jim, 57,I live in Gillingham in the Medway towns and new to boating.I've bought a 40+ for my 6ft tender/dinghy off ebay and after a few issues it's running quite nicely at a fair rate pushing well on just half throttle.it does rev higher but dosnt need to though. I've bought another gull but its in need of a few bits but I'm on my boat at the moment and I didn't note the engine number so I'm not sure what exact model it is but its the fat exhaust pipe type.I'm planning to tart it up with all the the needed bits in the future but for now I'm getting all the info I may need for its final restoration.main bits will be transom mount and the plug lead fitted back on.previous owner was a bit ham fisted and broke both parts so sold it to me for £40.my brother will be picking it up soon so ile get the numbers later tomorrow and have a better idea what's what.that's about it for now.more tomorrow when I know more. Byee all

Welcome aboard.

Photos and serial number are always a good place to start. The experts here (and I'm not one of them) will be able to look over and let you know what's original and what's not. And even if originality is less important to you than having a running outboard, the guys here will do what they can to help.

Regards,
Spiro

Hi spiro,and others.. I'm not too bothered about originality but a good engine is after all a good engine and these 4 piece jigsaws are very good engines.im hoping to use it as a replacement for my old tired diesel engine. Its gonna cost me more to fix that than a full flight seagull costs and i get some room in the cabin for a fridge too.win win I believe. Its mainly for just slowly pushing a 26ft sail boat along and a bit of mooring work so I'm not bothered about speed either. I've had a look at a few posts about the good points of the gull and its such a cheap engine to keep running that I dont think its going to be too much of an effort for it to be a reliable replacement. My diesel is about 45yrs old and spewing out oil like an oil field so having something I can take ashore or repair on the boat cheaply with minimum hassle also appeals.I'm a bit of a spanned monkey but Diesels don't do it for me.love the buzz of a 2stroke,so simple and untechnical.my 40+ wasnt pumping and a 10 minute fix with a new impeller sorted it,points adjustments bout the same time,carb ajustment and cable tension 2mins..few other things need doing like getting a hight collar and transom angle to sort but it flies along so well I've not felt the need to fiddle.may fit a snorkel or some sort of water barrier oozit to the carb as I've had a few issued with leaving it in the dinghy with the carb facing the wrong way and rain getting in but other than that its a surprisingly nippy engine on a 6ft dinghy.anyway I'm off to find out if my brother has picked it up and get the numbers etc and post a few pics when its in front of me..like Christmas come early..byee.

Hi all.my newly acquired seagull is a century 100 model,engine No.. LLS 29111.its had a big rudder fin made and flitted by the previous owner but that looks like the only mod at first glance (brothers reckonings) but where the ht lead plugs into the stator is a Very Loose fit.he thinks there should be some sort of plate? for the spring on the iead to butt against???.transom Mount is missing along with the hight collar also needs a plug and cap (no probs) but is in reasonable condition generally. No pics yet as I'm still on my boat and gull is on land.so my collection is now 2 gulls (40+..century). As soon as I can get ashore ile post some pics but in the mean time if anyone can shed some light on the ht lead connection system i would be very grateful. Cheers for reading..byeee

Welcome aboard, haryjim. You've discovered by now that, all too often, when you purchase one Seagull, it gives birth to another one in short order. Left to their own devices, they will now breed like flies and your collection will grow. I've personally been lucky enough to stay with the original pair. Still, you've been warned....

hairyjim wrote:Hi all.my newly acquired seagull is a century 100 model,engine No.. LLS 29111.where the ht lead plugs into the stator is a Very Loose fit.he thinks there should be some sort of plate? for the spring on the iead to butt against???.

...but in the mean time if anyone can shed some light on the ht lead connection system i would be very grateful. Cheers for reading..byeee

These pictures may be of some use to you.

Would it not have a Villiers ignition, Manufacture Date: 1961 to 1962.

Keith.P wrote:Would it not have a Villiers ignition, Manufacture Date: 1961 to 1962.

Quite possibly, I didn't look up the engine code before I posted the pictures...

I was just posting the pictures to show the missing "plate", so does the Villiers ignition have a "plate"?

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/i_ ... series.htm

Here is a picture from SOS main site, showing century with villiers ignition, with lead held in place with steel wire.

There are grooves in the bakelite plug that the wire springy thingo locates onto.

Springy thingy should be explained further aye?

Hi all.many thanks for the pics.my ignition is the Villiers as stated but having run the meter over it to discover it's lack of spark...its got a knackered coil.. This apears to be compounded by an attempt at fixing said spark issue by fiddling with the points and they have a short too.so looks like ile be needing a coil and points unit.is it worth me swapping the whole stator/rotor for a wipac system and updating or spend out on another engine and have a spare as a donor for future seagulls in the Avery.I think a flock is so much more sociable..

Remember that you have a condenser under the points box, that may give you bogus readings, wipac ignitions are more modern, I think you would have to change the flywheel as well if you change.
Its up to you, which way you go.

At the risk of sacrilege, try one of these in lieu of points and condensor. They show up under the brand name of Nova II -

https://www.ebay.com/p/Electronic-Trans ... 1965998793

....and also available thru Amazon UK under another name, or just really similar -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-elec ... gon+33-053


A brand named Atom (AUS) used to make a few different types as well. Your coil would obviously need to be functional.

My 40+ loves its little unit as shown above.