Saving Old Seagulls

Does anybody know how to fix the pan on the pan and tilt bronze bracket, I will be using the 40minus on my Mirror and want to use the rudder for steering.
I have to keep the tiltability for when I forget the motor is upright when I run up on the shore.

I could tighten up the clamps nice and tight which would make it difficult for me to turn but with the vibrations it is likely to slowly shift so that I end up having to fight the offset of the motor with the rudder.

I was thinking of a metal strap attached at both ends to the bracket and going round the exhaust, a bit heath robinson to say the least. Any ideas ?

Post a photo of your bracket, so we can see whats wrong. You should be able to get spares from John Williams at SOS who provides this forum for us.

Hi Oyster,

the bronze bracket works fine but I want to use the rudder on my dinghy for steering so I need to lock the motor in the central position, a bit like a steering lock on a car.
Ideally something like a locking pin with p clip, with the pin in the steering is locked in the central position, pin out and steering works as normal.

Take the back half of the bracket that mounts the transom bracket to the drive shaft. The black plastic bit is held on with two studs and two nuts. Might be two splits pins as well. Cut a piece of rubber (inner bicycle tube or similar) and place inside black half and reinstall. Tighten to the point where you only just turn it with force. This way you will be able to keep it in a straight line or turn under protest. Engineering a steering lock sounds as though it would be way outa your league unless you have a U bracket that is forward of your transom and the tiller drops into it and to release and turn motor just lift tiller up. What sort of boat have again?

Boyd will need the specs of your motor for his SJ register.

Hi Hugz,

cheers for that, I have some inner tube in the shed.
It will go on my Mirror when I use it in the tidal estuary pools, most of the time I will be using the sails but sometimes the wind just dies and you want to get somewhere before all the water drains out. I could use oars but I've got a seagull and I'm not affraid to use it .

What engine details do you want for the register ?

Engine No. SJMR4514

I would imagine thousands of little seagulls have been on the back of mirrors. They compliment each other!

Unless you wish to go this way: http://www.stirlingengines.org.uk/boats/bob.jpg

I got lucky with the Forty Minus because it is ideal for the Mirror with a bit of strenghening of the transom.
It seems mostly original and is in good used condition, I know nothing of its history apart from I got it from Hereford(ish).
It wouldn't surprise me if it had only been used in fresh water.

That Stirling Engine is a feat of engineering madness and would be swept overboard when the boom comes about, crashing across the deck. Very pretty though.

Collector Inspector

......a mark II Savage Gull as you all know is what I have ....

BnC

What a coincidence B, I've only just realised that my new tinny is a mark I Savage Gull!!

Bob,
I collect the data for SJP/SJM motors and as Hugo said, would like to get the data from your 40-.

Could you please send me an email at ausobcollector (@) gmail.com and then I'll let you know what data I'd like to get from you.

Cheers
BP

Aus_Ob - Email sent.

It's been a hectic couple of weeks at work so progress on the 40 Minus has been slow.
Tank has now been polished and laquered with the end caps in silver, it looks quite cool with the SEAGULL lettering in gold but would look better in black (as originally envisaged) but my aerosol had dried up.
The chrome drive leg was quite badly corroded so I cleaned it up and sprayed it zinc with a yacht varnish topcoat.
The aluminium exhaust I just polished, it's super shiny but has many dents and in one or two spots the corrosion is almost through the metal, if I can find a brass or copper replacement for this part I would be happy (I love polishing brass/copper).

Rather than a restoration exercise this has been more conserve and maintain, the motor is now in a serviceable condition and will be used on my dinghy for the next 10 or so years, at some point a full restore and rebuild will be required but by then I expect the old girl will be pushing 80.

Given that this motor is 60 years old now and the worst age related problems are with the thinest most reactive part (3/32nd inch soft ally exhaust pipe) I seen no reason why, given minimal maintenance that this motor won't still be running in 2076 (ie. one of quite a few 120+ year old outboards still pushing boats)

I have a couple of pics on my phone but the kids have nicked the bluetooth dongle and the only USB cable I can find will charge but not read data, when I find either the dongle or another (working) cable I will post them up.