Saving Old Seagulls

Just a hello from newbie who's been lurking in the shadows.

I recently bought these two despite no previous marine experience.

I'll be plaguing the life out of the brains on here during my fettling of my FPC701BB8 Seagull.

Intend on using them on local canals and rivers once done as there's not much coast here in Chesterfield.

Cheers

Pricey

Very handy a trailer with a launching trolley. Only snag with a direct drive is that when you start it ----- it goes. I have seen some exciting moments and been part of them.
Nice boat but it looks more suitable for a short shaft seagull. Just read the engine number --- it has a clutch.

skyetoyman wrote:Very handy a trailer with a launching trolley. Only snag with a direct drive is that when you start it ----- it goes. I have seen some exciting moments and been part of them.
Nice boat but it looks more suitable for a short shaft seagull. Just read the engine number --- it has a clutch.

Thank you, yes it has a clutch and Oh
I'm a newbie to this and thought mine was the shorter "standard" shaft as per below from a previous post.

The forty plus was available as a standard shaft or long shaft. British Seagull didn't designate any of their products as 'short shaft'

The maximun freeboard (top of transom to waterline was 16" for the standard shaft and 22" for the long. If yours is a long version there will be an 'L' in the serial.

There's isn't an "L" in the serial number and if I measure from tip to toe I get 37" which fits with in chart the info below




I've test fitted and it looks like this...will it be ok or do I need to rethink my plan?

Cheers Pricey

The best way to tell is to put it in the water and see, also seating arrangements, are you sitting next to the transom, or four foot in front of the transom, kneeling in the gunnels, with baseball cap reversed for aerodynamic help!

...well it's been a year nearly with work and life in general getting in the way of fettling my little dinghy and the all important Seagull outboard.
A bit rough around the edges but better late than never, eh?

Nice job, the clutched 40 is a great engine to own. We will look forward to further posts, you can never own just one...

Cheers Oyster.

Maiden voyage should be in next two on the Chesterfield Canal from the Tapton slipway to the Stavely basin and back again. It will be a better run when the Canal finally joins the rest of the Chesterfield canal and even more so when the Chesterfield Marina comes to fruition.

Will post some pics on a separate thread if all goes well, hopefully it will be a Seagull powered affair both ways
I've just emptied last years fuel out into my old Webb mower ( runs on anything vaguely petrol related). So fresh fuel, ignition all set, oil in gearbox and oars packed just in case

Give me a wave when you do Pricey... My neck of the woods that

Are you going to portage the boat round the locks or use them? My maiden voyage was going to be that stretch till I counted how many locks to Staveley! I ended up opting for the Trent instead, there's a good few miles of clear stretch with no locks I use.

Hello CeeBee,

What part of t'woods do you hail from?...

I'm going to use the locks rather than portage. Whilst "Tilly" is reasonably light my 2nd crew member "her indoors" int that strong and will most likely break a nail.

I'm hoping to get on this coming week so listen outb for the dulcet tones of a seagull.

Where do you put in on't Trent?

Cheers

Pricey

Hello mate,

I'm nearer the bit the canal vanishes... but use the towpath now and again for bike rides along the TPT into Rother Valley.

I did look at using Rother but they only allow engine testing early morning, and it's £25 for the hour

I've got an inflatable so chuck in at Gunthorpe and potter up to the Ferryboat Inn a few miles up. Only downside for you is there is a slip but it's owned by the ski club and behind a locked gate. Next time I'm down I'll see if I can get the phone number for them.

If I'm not working when you go for a pootle I'd love to pop over and have a gander, maybe film a bit of footage for you if you like!

Drop me a PM if you want to discuss anything.

CeeBee,

Yes let me know if access is available at Gunthorpe.

To be fair I'm looking forward to using the locks, emptying/filling the locks real slow then lining the boat through, I'm in no rush.

Once I've been on't maiden run I'll give you t'nod, I'm not shy but if I'm gonna make a goon of myself first time I don't want a TV crew recording my every move you'll be more than welcome to join me for future runs though.

Cheers

Pricey

I didn't mean it like that, more if you needed a hand with owt.

Did you find out how much the permit was for the Derbyshire Council stretch? It's different to the normal BW pricing so never found out as you have to get it from Tapton Lock visitor centre.

My SeaBee will be getting it's prop wet for the first time this weekend on the Thames.

It costs a £5 per day for purchase a pleasure boat licence and £8 deposit to loan a windlass. If you want a Pleasure boat licence for an open boat with outboard you also need to fill in a boat safety cert exemption form.

To use the locks you have to buy a Pleasure Boat licence.

If your not using the locks and can portage then a portable boat licence is a whopping £1.60 for the day.

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/images/CC ... 203835.doc

The Thames sounds good, post loads of pictures.