Saving Old Seagulls

I tried out the 40 Plus on the water for the first time at the weekend. It was extremely difficult to start, but once started, ran perfectly, and would restart easily when still hot. Idling and pick up were fine, but I noticed it dripped constantly from the carburettor, and needed a tiny amount of choke all the time.

By an amazing coincidence someone who didn't even know I had a Seagull gave me an original instruction booklet that very day, and on reading it I found that it stressed the importance of mounting the shaft absolutely vertical, to ensure that the carb float was right.
I had already got the bracket on the max adjustment.

On retrying back home, on dry land, with the shaft vertical, the engine fired first time. So that seems to bear out what the book says?
I drilled another hole in the bracket to extend the adjustment point.
Also the drip had stopped - same explanation, as the little hole is at the back?

Also I wondered if I had it too deep in the water. It seemed right when seated in motion, but of course for starting my weight was nearer the stern, which in a small dinghy tips it several inches deeper. So perhaps backpressure was not helping either?

Can't wait to try it out again! (it was surprisingly unsmoky, considering the 10:1 mix)

The position of the carb is VITAL due to the gravity fed fuel and the float which is not brilliant. You can twist the carb on the block if you want but is better to sort out bracket so engine is straight in the water.

When starting, the engine will be deeper because you are there, you can't help that! I have heard people starting it out the water then lowering it in but noisy and awkward. The water, when running, should be an inch or two above the flange above the gearbox (the waterpump housing) so it going a bit deeper shouldn't although will make it harder to start. One solution is making the holes bigger in the exhaust tube or making one big one near the bottom so that the gasses can escape although will make it a lot smokier and noisyer!

Thanks Alistair.
The tilting effect is considerable in a small dinghy, and the depth of course varies enormously depending on loading. If I cram 4 people in it sinks about 6". With no clutch they'd all have to jump in pretty smartish!
Perhaps the ideal answer is a higher exhaust hole with a closeable flap.