WW2 SD Seagull

[Collector Inspector]

I never thought such as this was possible!

I am revising my ideals.

Upsetting to say the least being such information only now divulged.

Very Sad in that

C.I.

[Double Dutch]

Hello Charlesp,
The magneto flywheel reads the number JM 7340
The baseplate reads 2 numbers underneath where normaly the light coils are: 1120X1 and 1705
The gearbox has the Navy mark stamped.
Does anyone has a picture of the locking lid for the tail?
The crankshaft has two extra counterbalance weights welded on, is the original?

[Double Dutch]

The tank straps are the Jubelee clips as at the picture.

[Charles uk]

Search through the member list, for a dutchman called Jan who lives near Schipol.

He will be able to help you with all your questions & in the right language.

[Hugz]

so that all your local Ned Kellys could make their nocturnal forays more productive & cost effective!

Black Market Marston/Seagulls.......

I had an intruder the other day, never entered my mind. In a way it is recognition.

While I'm here, a description of a gull on ebay which I thought was rather enjoyable reading:

"If you like your outboard motors smokey, British, and sometimes working, then this motor could be the one for you!

Consider this as a non-working motor first and foremost. If you manange to get it running, then you have something that we'd call a 2.5 HP outboard. Yes, it has run before. The last time we had it running was 2yrs ago and it pushed a little sailing boat along... for approx two years before that. (Trading up to a motor with a re-coil starter. Got tired of whacking my passengers in the eye with the knotted end of my rope. Got tired of, well, got tired of its unreliability really) The last time we ran it, we did so with 25:1 mix knowing that it would be put to sleep indefinately. It cranks over smoothly (ie, not seized)

Issues we know of: The carby cover is missing. The fuel tap leaks. The throttle cable needs work. It's ugly.

On the upside: It's light.

For the Seagull geek, those magic numbers are: 76512 MM5 : Stamped; British Seagull 40. The measurement of the leg....from the inside of the top of the transome clamp to the foot of the fin is 685mm. It also has a nice pretty four bladed (straight 220mm) prop with 40 plus stamped on it, still in it's original lacklustre grey."

[Jan]

Good to hear there are other SD collectors in the Netherlands!

I can help you with 102 (SD) parts and information. At this moment there is a SD prop and a bitsa 102 with a SD carb and Dutch MOD SD bracket for sale on MP (the Dutch Gumtree).

You can PM me if you need SD bits and info.

Regards, Jan

[mick r]

RE:-

The carb is the twin barrel Amal, there are conflicting reports about bronze versions of this, or bronze parts. I have three SDs in the workshop, and all three have what I call normal Amal carbs - no bronze.

(from CharlesP)

I have a 102 with a bronze carb, (AD3260), It also has very thin brass tank straps. Do I assume that the bronze carbs are rare

[mick r]

Does anyone has a picture of the locking lid for the tail?

This is believed to be a military bracket, very similar to yours.

[Charles uk]

Sorry to dissapoint you Mick that is a late 40's 1950's bracket.

The beautiful beast below is one of the only two types of bracket that we know for sure were wartime.
These weigh almost as much as the motor!

Both types were side mount.

[charlesp]

That would be this one, then:

(Page from 1952 Parts Identification List from the War OfficeP

[rosbullterier]

Side Mount Brackets?
Does that mean the engine was mounted on the gunwale? How far along the length of the boat would that be and for what type of boat was this setup recommended / designed?
Would just the one outboard be used or a pair?
Any actual recollection of their usage?

[Jan]

Most of the wartime Seagulls (SD’s) I’ve seen in Holland are supplied with a heavy (5,5 Kg.) bronze bracket.

There is a bronze depth adjusting collar and a modified carb ring clip to prevent the bracket sliding down the drive shaft when you lift the engine of the transom.

We think this brackets are custom made in Holland for the Dutch army or to sell the surplus SD’s with a usable bracket for civilian use.

Does anybody have seen this brackets outside the Netherlands?

[charlesp]

I woulde be inclined to agree that they were made to fit tyhe SD motors, don't know where. The ones in your country were part of the help given by Britain in the post-war period.

I have not encountered any in this country. I have seen two SD models equipped with the bronze 'skeletal' bracket fitted as standard to 'D' and 'C' models from 1946, and I'm pretty convinced that occasionally wartime motors were sent out with these - not necessarily the ones made for the Ministry but the occasional examples for civilian or fishery use.

Sorry that's not a good photo. It doesn't show the whole thing. These came as shown or as a thumbscrew version.

The wartime Seagulls were not supplied for propelling landing craft or fast boats full of soldiers onto landing beaches; way too small for that. The major use was indeed on pontoons, manoevering rafts of supplies, that sort of thing. The particular craft for which the side mounts were designed were aluminium riibbed pontoon type boats. I haven't got a single decent picture of one.

I would love to get hold on one of those Dutch brackets, if anyone has one for sale perhaps you could pm me?

[Hugz]

Came across this steel pontoon and immediately thought of an old seagull mounted on it. I imagine the WW11 ones looked similar.