Saving Old Seagulls

Just bought a rather badly beaten up 40 featherweight. It is not that old (92?) and after a few minor tweaks I gave it a 45 min run along the local canal (I had no desire to test it on the fast tidal estuary I sail on!) It ran very well, the only problems being leaves blocking the intake & then clogging the prop. This was when I spotted that it has a 40 MINUS prop. What difference is this likely to have on the performance and should I really care?

Incidentally the two main tweaks were to boil the cork in the fuel tap (thanks for that tip!) and put a s/s jubilee clip round the top of the exhaust which is somewhat thin & corroded so that the securing screw could not secure it.

The Forty Minus prop is correct for your motor - 'Forty Minus' was the name for the engine prior to the 'Featherweight' name being used and I guess the same name continued to be used on the props.
No other Seagull props will fit the Featherweight motor.
Don't think I've encountered leaves, but weed of various types is a perpetual problem with Seagull water intakes, and the prop spring and spit pin is a magnet for duckweed.
There was a three bladed prop with a more traditional blade shape on early motors, but they don't help with the weed/intake problem. Rick

Thanks for that, I did wonder, but you know how it is, having bought something old & battered you start to doubt the provenance of everything!

The excess of leaves was due to it being a very windy day and the fact that the canal runs thro a deep, wooded cutting where I was. All the trees were hanging around in the nude, shivering! Provided I kept the prop & inlet clear she had plenty of power for my little rubber duck on the Conway River where I intend to use her.

Would that be the River Conwy as we local peasants call it ?
Seriously, you won't have trouble with leaves around here but the plentiful supply of floating seaweed will stop your motor in it's tracks (I know from experience). The only thing to do is clear the weed off the leg and start again....
Steve