Saving Old Seagulls

Picked up a walker bay punt for the kids last week. Have had AF105E4 sitting around for a while, a perfect size little 40 for an 8 footer. Motor is in quite good original condition, even the steel tank looks to be free of any dings, I got it from original owner who said he only used it a few times in late 80s.

May pop a recoil onto the AF to make it easier for the kids (5 and 7) to start/stop at their leisure. Otherwise I’m very much looking forward to seeing them cruise around the bay!

Nice little boat and nice little Seagull. Your children are lucky.

One thing I notice missing in the boat: rowlocks.
IMHO the first tool for little boys (and girls) getting the feel of handling (handling, not driving) a boat is oars.
It's a pity for them getting directly to motoring and sailing having skipped the rowing or paddling step. I don't mean rowing as a phisical exercise but just making the boat do what you want her to do.

I feel a little envy for your age and children...

Sandro

P.S. English is not my mother language. I hope the word "envy" has not a negative meaning. I just meaned i would like be back at that age and having to teach boating to my children - as I then did.

Sandro your English is a lot better than our Italian.

Andrew don't you think your kids might be a little young for a motorised dingy, in 4 minutes they could be half a mile away!

Mind you there's a lot of benefits to a quiet life, perhaps the oars should be fastened to the hull.

Charles uk wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:57 pm Andrew don't you think your kids might be a little young for a motorised dingy,

Good looking motor and boat, I did think 5 and 7 was a little young for a seagull. My son could start a Featherweigh when they were about 10.

But he could start a Mariner 2hp when he was 9.
My view has always been if you can start it and shut it off you are good to go.

5 and 7 year olds may be better with a small electric trolling motor or paddles.

Recoil starter is a must, at least it will stop the passenger getting a pull cord in the eye, I know because I have done it.

I on purpose did not enter the safety matter, of which I am well aware. It's another issue.
I just think that kid's seamanship will grow better if they start by rowing. Thus the boat becomes an extension of your body, especially if small and light.

The Walker Bay is a very tough boat and makes a good work boat or tender. It’s main drawback is that it is Crank, meaning it has high initial stability but once it goes beyond a certain degree of heel it capsizes quickly without warning.
In a lot of ways it’s good to give children a boat and let them get on with it, let them capsize and sort it out for them selves so they learn. But you do have to let them out on safe water where they can’t stray into danger.
As others have said give them a set of Oars and tie the Crutches on so they are not lost.
The Gull can come later.
Better still get them a dinghy that can sail.

Dave.

I don't remember if the Optimist has rowlocks or not.

It’s not a requirement of the class rules Sandro so most aren’t fitted with them, also they would get in the way when hiking-out. But you could easily fit them, when Clark Mills designed them for an Optimist Club back in the 40's I’m sure they would have been able to row them.
Dave,

Thank you Journeyman,
I did not know Optimist already existed in the 40's. I considered it as a modern boat. (although "modern" in my thinking would be "vintage" in most's).
Sandro

Sandro Picchio wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:15 am Thank you Journeyman,
I did not know Optimist already existed in the 40's. I considered it as a modern boat. (although "modern" in my thinking would be "vintage" in most's).
Sandro

Yes Clark Mills was a well known naval architect in Florida, most of his work was deigning large luxury motor yachts for very rich people.
The local Optimists Club was running racing for children in homemade soapbox dandies.
The Club decided they wanted to race and sail in homemade boats so asked Clark to come up with a design that would cost about the same as one of the cars.
He worked out how much material he could buy with the given budget and came up with the Optimist!
Now it’s the biggest class in the world!