Saving Old Seagulls

Yesterday was the first time I ever lost an outboard off the back of a sailboa4, and the first time I ever happened to have a safely cable attached. The prior owner had attached a Marine quality steel cable with loops seized on each end. It was a random act that I snapped it to a ring that happened to be convenient, inside the transom of my boat. I jibed the boat and the next thing I noticed was the outboard being towed underwater 4 feet behind the boat. Amazingly, the motor was able to start and run. Tank vent had been closed, and the carb priming button cleared enough water. We docked and ran fresh water in through the recoil and flushed what we could reach, then ran the motor for another 30 minutes under load. Lucky day,, and a tribute to cdi ignition and build quality.
my mistake was adding a rubber transom pad under the outboard and not attaching the pad to the boat. None the less, the seagull bracket is minimal and unsuitable. When tilted up and sailing the motor had shifted a few times until I ultra tightened it, before using any rubber transom pad. The clamp simply doesn't have enough depth compared to any American or Japanese outboard made in the last 50 years. The clamp is elegant, but represents form over function. Going to add some rubber adhesive grip padding for stand up paddleboards, and keep the clamp tight at all times. Still I wont ever trust that mounting without a safety cable.

Glad you did not loose it.

Why the rubber on the transom?

"The clamp is elegant, but represents form over function" never thought that, my view is a seagull is the quintesential "practicality over design" outboard.

Perhaps the moral of this story is, dont use rubber on the transom mounts.

I personally favour Aluminium, as the clamps dig in and hold well.

This type are good



H-A

I like those pieces and will try to source one. Like the indent to prevent the round contact thing from walking off the top of the transom. I've used the rubber pad on various boats and motors for years. Never had a motor move before. But, heavier motors, much more robust clamps.

Do you have a link to the aluminum plate you uss? USA or ebay?

I took mine out for a run a couple of weeks ago.....it nearly went in as well. It was running and seemed to be moving up the newly painted outboard mounting. It was a piece of pine painted with shiny enamel paint. Two lessons 1. Use a ply as the pine snapped off a corner as the outboard moved up. 2. don't use shiny enamel paint.

luckily I saw it as it went and grabbed the running motor and killed it by smothering the carby without grabbing the hot bits and it was tied on so if it did go in the oggin I would not have lost it..

On the down side, it took me ages to start, very frustrating. Went like a champion when I got it going so no idea what to do next. The wife has made me buy a reliable new motor.....but I love my stinky, noisy Seagull!

cheers

RP

I hit one of those huge jellyfish once.
Knocked the motor sideways so one clamp came clear of the transom.
I then screwed a piece of bronze keel band onto the motor mount above the round cup washers to stop any repetition.
Works well.