Retrofitting a kill switch to earlier models.

[pat777]

I understand that the later mk 4 Wipac ignition system had a kill switch incorporated in to it. I was just wondering would it be possible to have some kind of an emergency kill switch/kill chord fitted to the earlier points ignition system or the mk 3 Wipac ignition system. Has anybody come up with any ideas for retrofitting a kill switch to a seagull outboard? Any ideas or thoughts on the subject would be much appreciated.

Cheers Pat

[Keith.P]

Just attach a wire to the points and earth it to stop it running.

[Charles uk]

The Mk 3 when fitted to a 170/125 had a kill switch wire fitted, for everything else the correct adjustment of the throttle cable will stop them, without the difficulty of fitting the switch & the possibility of a wet switch or cable preventing starting!

[pat777]

Thanks Keith.P and Charles uk, I was hoping somebody had come up with something before, so that I could copy their idea. I'm more thinking of a man overboard situation for the kill switch. So a cord that is attached to the outboard and to the operator and when it is pulled, it cuts out the outboard. I guess there is not really scope for such a device with the seagull. I've not managed to see a picture of the seagull kill switch of the later model gulls. Does anybody have a seagull kill switch picture anywhere?





I'm aware that the throttle when adjusted properly kills the engine and all of my gulls are adjusted this way but in an emergency this might not be always reachable. I know seagull outboards are a lot smaller than the one involved in the "padstow" incident, but I'd imagine they could do a fair bit of damage if their was a man overboard incident and the boat started circling. I'm hoping that with the forums help I can come up with some way of having an emergency kill switch on all of my gulls.Maybe it's a being a bit paranoid but it's just when children are on the boat as well, I'd prefer to be safe than sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IwhsYfnNvs Link to channel 4 news report of padstow speed boat incident.

Cheers Pat

[Hugz]

How about a dog lead looped around the waist and the clip attached to the spark plug lead. I'm sure some part of the lead would give way ie the connection to the flywheel base. Would need to carry a spare plug lead. Very basic until you come up with something better.

[Charles uk]

Seagull's were only factory fitted with a stop button not a lanyard operated kill switch.

But the unspoken rule amongst Seagull racers is that if your boat/motor is a 20mph+ device, then a lanyard kill switch should be used.

On a Wipac Mk 3 ( the white one) if the red wire from the spark coil, is shorted to earth , no sparks.

[denchen]

Some old Villiers stationary engines had a small flat piece of metal on the back of the plate behind the flywheel, that when pushed flat onto a screw behind the piece of metal would short off the spark. If that bit of metal was so set that it rested on the screw at rest the motor would not produce a spark, there fore if a `bit if flat wood` or plastic was pushed in the gap to hold the metal off the screw and then attached by a `bit of string` to the skipper.........you see what Im getting at, just a thought.

[Keith.P]

As simple as.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMC-EXCELSIOR ... 1036590655

Never had a problem stopping them, usually the reverse.

[pat777]

How about a dog lead looped around the waist and the clip attached to the spark plug lead. I'm sure some part of the lead would give way ie the connection to the flywheel base. Would need to carry a spare plug lead. Very basic until you come up with something better.

Thanks Hugz, that would be a good start all right, I was reading about this subject on another forum following a google search for "seagull outboard kill switch" and there was mention of the possibility of risk of electric shock when messing around with spark plug lead. I'm not sure I want to take that chance.

Here is the link to the forum discussing the subject.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.ph ... d-stopping

and another forum google search "kill cord seagull"

http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index ... 87412.html

[pat777]

Seagull's were only factory fitted with a stop button not a lanyard operated kill switch.

But the unspoken rule amongst Seagull racers is that if your boat/motor is a 20mph+ device, then a lanyard kill switch should be used.

On a Wipac Mk 3 ( the white one) if the red wire from the spark coil, is shorted to earth , no sparks.

Thanks for the extra information Charles uk regarding the specifications on the kill switch of the later models factory fitted with the kill switch. I only have one outboard with the mk 3 ignition, I'm pretty sure it is not the white one I have, could it be "the brown one". The outboard I'm going to try and do something with regarding a kill switch first, is a forty plus (February 1977), that I will be using on a 9 foot punt.

That's very interesting that the seagull racers are using a lanyard kill switch, I guess they must all be using later model seagulls achieving those kind of speeds. Would anybody have a picture of their race outboard fitted with a lanyard kill switch? Or even a picture showing the standard factory fitted kill switch?

Cheers Pat

[pat777]

Some old Villiers stationary engines had a small flat piece of metal on the back of the plate behind the flywheel, that when pushed flat onto a screw behind the piece of metal would short off the spark. If that bit of metal was so set that it rested on the screw at rest the motor would not produce a spark, there fore if a `bit if flat wood` or plastic was pushed in the gap to hold the metal off the screw and then attached by a `bit of string` to the skipper.........you see what Im getting at, just a thought.

Thanks denchen for the information on the villiers stationary engines, that sounds like a promising idea worthy of further investigation. If I'm picturing what your describing correctly, I wonder would there be access issues for replacing the bit of plastic/metal after an emergency stop or could vibrations from the engine running cause problems with this staying in place?

I want whatever method is decided upon for my emergency kill switch to be simple to operate and reliable with as little interference with the seagull as possible. Could any of these methods mentioning earthing certain cables etc. potentially cause any damage to coils etc.? I'm a little reluctant to start interfering too much with the ignition systems especially the mk3 wipac as they are expensive enough to replace.

Cheers Pat

[pat777]

As simple as.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMC-EXCELSIOR ... 1036590655

Never had a problem stopping them, usually the reverse.

Thanks Keith.P, that looks interesting. It's not exactly what I'm interested in as I'm looking more for the lanyard type kill switch for use in an emergency stop situation. Thanks for posting all the same, perhaps this might suit somebody who wants to adjust their throttle lever to increase the idle speed of the seagull and thus effecting the ability of the throttle to shut down the outboard. Here is a picture of the ebay link.

Cheers Pat

[pat777]

A picture for all the other newbies showing how to connect an earth wire to the points to kill the motor.

http://wavewalk.com/blog/2013/09/19/diy ... y-marsden/

One safety problem with them is that they were not designed with a kill switch. Obviously, falling overboard with a running engine is not very desirable. However, after some research, I made a simple modification by connecting an earthing wire to the ignition points (contact breaker). When you touch the engine block with the end of this wire it kills the motor. I have ordered an outboard kill switch off ebay to complete the modification. I will send more photos when I have completed it but meanwhile I have attached a close-up of the wire connected to the points.

[Sandro Picchio]

The thread has drifted from "Emergency cord stopping" to "Normal plain stopping".

About the former, as I often sail single handed, I am worried to see the boat merrily chugging away leaving me in the water. The boat speed is not an issue. Getting old one become more prudent or fearful.
I already added a kill switch and cord to a Johnson 4 that I alternate with the Seagull, using a switch same as the one shown by pat777. See Practical Boat Owner of May or August 2010.
For the Seagull (Fourty+ from 1963) I don't want to modify it and am thinking of shutting the air intake with a rubber flap kept open by a latch tripped by the wrist cord. All this could be clamped to the input flange without surgery, but I did not do anything yet. When and if I shall do and succeed I shall post the result.

Happy seagulling to all

Sandro

[Stelios_Rjk]

Create a water proof box that the kill switch will be fitted leaving the button on the outside of it and in the inside the wires.
Do the electrics. One wire from the points should go to the switch. Another wire from the switch would go to the ground (base plate).
Screw the box under the base plate. Wires when getting through the box should be water tight. Also the button fitted on the box should be watertight as half would be inside and half of it outside. Material for the box can be plexiglass (acrylic), it joins with a chemical as a glue. You can ask the supplier but it's easy after some experimenting.
Base plates have some holes but you can make your own. Those screws should also be watertight when getting in the box.

I have the idea in my mind but I don't have the time or the willing to make and test it right now. That can lead to something useful or a crap that won't allow the engine start or make the engine fail for no obvious reason. So it's up to you if you would like to try it

Also when you drill acrylic you need to work on low rpm to avoid the drill bit get hot, melt the piece and the drill bit seize and brake inside. Yes it has happened.
Spaying a coolant is a solution.