Saving Old Seagulls

Hi everyone,

Am starting to slowly reassemble my modified model 75 but noticed this today!
Is it a crack waiting to happen?
The block is the one that takes the amal carbs.

Jacob

That should be fine Jacob.
It's far enough at the bottom end of the cylinder that it shouldn't do anything to the performance. There shouldn't be anything of the waterjacket underneath this either. Try it and see how it goes.
Nice cross hatching by the way

All good

Jon

Thanks for the reassurance Jon!

Looks like some sand drop from when the casting was cast. As said it is in a place that would not matter. Even if it was up further I dont think it would create any problems.

That bore has not seen a lot of use...... Like a lot of them!
Have you ever seen a seagull that has worn out? And Im not meaning from abuse or misuse!

That is good to go!

Now this got me to wondering ...
I guess that the VAST VAST majority of 'Gulls never got/get very much 'water time' use at all

hardly ever in winter...never at night...and just short sharp little runs, mostly weekends, tendering to & fro for a few minutes, then chuck them back into the dark dingy recesses of the garage or similar
probably never flushed out or gearbox oil changed...

I know its no record, but 4 lads in the boat, trip down the thames, Pink Hill to Cookham, 70+ miles over 3 days, so some 25 hrs (incl 'poodling' about)
Gull' on full ...never missed a beat except the timing screw had a habit of coming loose once a day or so..easy fix

I think all the mending and repair works we all do is as a result previous owners abuse and lack of even any rudimentary maintenance,.. not that the Gull has worn out

Charles would probably know if an engine has ever been run to destruction

It only seems to be the racers that hurt them badly, I've broken 3 crankshafts, prop shafts a couple of con rods, their ailments are generally caused by a severe lack of TLC & by owners never checking the bearings & rubbing parts for the correct tolerances.

Jan the Dutchman on one of his visits here brought a Seagull with a very very tired lower unit, you could hear it whine from 50 yards, he wanted to see how long it would last, I think you were on that Essex trip Neal.

I did the same Thames trip Neal from as high up as we could go, with my son in a Canadian canoe & a model 55, camping on the way, on the 3rd day at Reading we got caught in a thunder storm & got soaked to the skin, 11 year old boys seem allergic to water & cold conditions, so had to phone home for rescue from the rowing club at the end of the motorway spur.

You win! you did better than us, I owe you a beer!

I've broken 3 crankshafts, prop shafts a couple of con rods,

A wee burd tells me that you could break an ANVIL chas p

If there was an anvil your side of Hadrian's wall, Tam you lot would be using it to break the chains you claim we're keeping you in!

love you too china...