Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:15 pm
There’s an awful lot of Anzani bashing going on in this thread. Maybe my experiences will redress the balance somewhat. If the Seagull buffs (I’m one of those too) find it heresy, apologies.
We had our first Anzani Super Single circa 1948, when I was but a boy. It was one of the original round tank models and served us well right through the 1950s until we traded it in, in 1960 for a lighter weight Anzani. The Super Single was a robust, reliable, well engineered piece of kit and the only problem we had with it that I am aware of was something to do with the crankcase when it was still under guarantee.
Addressing some specific points:
1. The vacuum cooling system has two drawbacks – there is no tell-tale so the cylinder has to be checked manually for cooling, and secondly you can’t test it in a barrel since the turbulence set up by the prop destroys the vacuum. On the plus side there is no impeller to fail, often the bane of small outboards. Basically, if the pipe unions are tight and the vacuum preserved then it has to work unless the system is clogged and no outboard will run with a clogged system.
2. Noise and vibration – all outboards are noisy and vibrate and the Super Single seemed no worse to me than any other of that vintage.
3. Power output was good – it would push our 14ft clinker boat at maximum displacement speed, which neither a 102 or Century would do.
In the 1970s I had a loan of a well used Super Single for a few weeks and have to admit I used it in preference to my Seagull. It was a kind of 'for old times sake' thing.(That is heresy, sorry boys!) Such is my confidence, and not a little nostalgia, that I recently took delivery of one of the ‘New/Old’ Super Singles from Anzani. I think it came from Singapore, took a while, as I needed a long shaft, but they found one for me. I look forward to trying it out when I’ve done a major boat refit. I can tell you that these ‘New/Old’ Super Singles are in remarkable condition considering they have been lying around since 1970ish, and are obviously unused.
This is in no way meant to be a pro-Anzani, anti-Seagull rant. I am also the proud owner of a 1958 vintage Seagull which I inherited in 1968, has had a lot of use and is still running.
We had our first Anzani Super Single circa 1948, when I was but a boy. It was one of the original round tank models and served us well right through the 1950s until we traded it in, in 1960 for a lighter weight Anzani. The Super Single was a robust, reliable, well engineered piece of kit and the only problem we had with it that I am aware of was something to do with the crankcase when it was still under guarantee.
Addressing some specific points:
1. The vacuum cooling system has two drawbacks – there is no tell-tale so the cylinder has to be checked manually for cooling, and secondly you can’t test it in a barrel since the turbulence set up by the prop destroys the vacuum. On the plus side there is no impeller to fail, often the bane of small outboards. Basically, if the pipe unions are tight and the vacuum preserved then it has to work unless the system is clogged and no outboard will run with a clogged system.
2. Noise and vibration – all outboards are noisy and vibrate and the Super Single seemed no worse to me than any other of that vintage.
3. Power output was good – it would push our 14ft clinker boat at maximum displacement speed, which neither a 102 or Century would do.
In the 1970s I had a loan of a well used Super Single for a few weeks and have to admit I used it in preference to my Seagull. It was a kind of 'for old times sake' thing.(That is heresy, sorry boys!) Such is my confidence, and not a little nostalgia, that I recently took delivery of one of the ‘New/Old’ Super Singles from Anzani. I think it came from Singapore, took a while, as I needed a long shaft, but they found one for me. I look forward to trying it out when I’ve done a major boat refit. I can tell you that these ‘New/Old’ Super Singles are in remarkable condition considering they have been lying around since 1970ish, and are obviously unused.
This is in no way meant to be a pro-Anzani, anti-Seagull rant. I am also the proud owner of a 1958 vintage Seagull which I inherited in 1968, has had a lot of use and is still running.
.... 
Eh?