Charity Event

[John@sos]

This came in to me this week, far too late to get real advance publicity, but worth a mention I thought.


From: chrispink@chrispink.co.uk
To: iololavender@hotmail.com
Ahoy there

We are the Kennet and Avon Seagull Appreciation Society, otherwise known as Iolo, Toby and Ted. We were reading about the British Seagull engine and discovered that, during the 2nd world war, the Admiralty required an outboard motor that would require virtually no maintenance, could be sunk and still run when raised back out, and would run non stop for 24 hours.

Well, we know many who have tried the first two, intentionally or not, but to our knowledge no one has tried to achieve the last, ie run it non stop for 24 hours.

So this is our challenge.

We will be using a 12 foot dinghy with a silver century, 102cc, 3hp, clutched, 55 year old British Seagull. though they are reputedly reliable and bomb proof, there are many who disregard them and think of them as a heap of junk that takes more time to fix than you will ever have them running for. We disagree!! and we are out to prove them wrong, try running any other 50- 60 year old engine non stop under load for 24 hours!

Our plan is to start in reading at 12 noon on Friday the 8th of March, traveling the entire 86 miles and 106 locks or the Kennet and Avon Canal, that normally takes a week to cruise. in a nearly impossible 24 hours! are we mad ? Yes i think so. we will be aiming to arrive in Bath at noon on Saturday the 9th. to a huge cheering crowd going wild, throwing money into our collection buckets, and squirting us with champane. hurrah!!

We aim to raise £6,850 by noon on saturday the 9th. this is the amount it costs the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Service per day!!! So, with our 24 hours of endurance, we aim to be able to support them for 24 hours. After all they save lives and wouldnt you be just a bit annoyed if you needed them to airlift you to hospital one day but they didn’t have enough money to keep their helicopter in the air.


From: Iolo <iololavender@hotmail.com>

To: Chris Pink <chrispink@chrispink.co.uk>

http://www.justgiving.com/iolo-lavender


Regards,
John
SOS

[tedrevive]

So, how did far did we get? Did we manage to keep the engine running for 24hrs? DoD we make it from reading to bath?
In a word, no. We have learned a lot and experience is cheap at any price the wise man says.
We did manage to get to the summit pound, above the crofton flight at three in the morning. That's about half way in miles and over halfway in locks. The idea of running the engine constantly had to be let go about two and a half hours in after the engine mount told us it couldn't support the combined weight of the seagull and the mobile coolant tank (bucket o water).
So we decided to get as far as we could as fast as we could.
The team worked together really well, the engine did well despite losing the top off the float bowl on one of the river sections, (anyone got a spare?)
The end came from a coil failure. Two and a half hours of gallant tinkering brought only the cold light of day and the fact that without a spare we were scuppered.
The support crew took us home for a lip, and to dream of our next attempt...

[Horsley-Anarak]

That was bad luck, what did you mean that

" after the engine mount told us it couldn't support the combined weight of the seagull and the mobile coolant tank (bucket o water)."

It is worth a second attempt. I have no doubt that a well prepared seagull would run for weeks with little attention.

Also you need a few spares, ignition spares are a must.

If you are going to try again I am still keen to have a go, as are a few others, 3 or 4 boats should get more sponsorship.

H-A

[Oyster 49]

I'll join in. Another good endurance run would be to run the navigable length of the Trent from shardlow near me to the Humber.

As H-A says a spare magneto is essential, perhaps a spare engine as well!

[Horsley-Anarak]

I'll join in. Another good endurance run would be to run the navigable length of the Trent from shardlow near me to the Humber.

Sounds like a possible run.

I may try and do the Thames this year, if it ever warms up.

H-A

[Charles uk]

I hear a wisper they did it last friday, seems like a bad time of year if that's correct.

[John@sos]

Bit concerned about the cooling system used? Snce when did anyone have to use a bucket of water? Would like to know what that was about!

Sounds as if with a little TLC you could be up and running for another bash at this when it is a bit warmer! Old villiers coils are dying all the time, either see George of 'villiers parts' for a new ignition set up (See links page) or swap whole ignition for a later Wipac.

Good effort lads!

John
SOS

[Niander101]

Bit concerned about the cooling system used? Snce when did anyone have to use a bucket of water? Would like to know what that was about!



John
SOS

Yes come on tedrevive please tell us what the cooling thing is all about we are very intrigued ,dont understand and somewhat alarmed!

[Niander101]

found a pic

century + i think ...long range tank

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Canal-t ... story.html