Is four Seagulls a flock?

[BilgePump]

Like an idiot, I bought something not really needed, yet again. Was at North Rode (next to Bosley locks) vintage weekend on Saturday gone and bought a Seagull outboard. That's four now. At least they're cheaper and need less space than a few Bollinders.

[MtB]

Four is plenty

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Flock_of_Seagulls

 

 

[Mad Harold]

33 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

Like an idiot, I bought something not really needed, yet again. Was at North Rode (next to Bosley locks) vintage weekend on Saturday gone and bought a Seagull outboard. That's four now. At least they're cheaper and need less space than a few Bollinders.

They are quirky old engines.Using them requires a gas mask and ear defenders.Some of the older ones run on a 16:1 fuel/oil mixture There is one model known as The Barge Pusher.

If you like vintage engines they are indeed cheap.

[BilgePump]

Having had the chance to look at it a bit closer today, it turns out to not be the model I thought it was but quite a rare forty plus long shaft with clutch. The other three I've got are regular direct drive standard shaft forty plus engines. Not tried to run the latest one yet but appears complete and in decent condition. Even came with a spare spring and new spark plug. Quite chuffed with the purchase for fifty quid. Of course, I barely ever use them because, as @Mad Harold says they are temperamental, loud, oily and smoky. Loud, oily and smoky not great on the canal and temperamental not great on a tidal river.

[Peugeot 106]

I’ve rebuilt 4 and use them on my Wayfarer dinghy. Done hundreds of miles with them. Always use fresh petrol and correct oil mixture. 1:10

or 1:25 depending on carb needle and bronze bearings. John at Saving Old Seagulls very good.

”Seagulls not very reliable BUT easy to fix…..”

Like Bikes and Ukelekes beware addiction. the ideal number to own is n+1 where n = the number you already have. 

 

 

 

 

[MtB]

52 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Like Bikes and Ukelekes beware addiction. the ideal number to own is n+1 where n = the number you already have. 

 

 

I totally agree regarding the bikes and suffer from this effect myself. 

 

I also have quite a few ukuleles but I've never seen or even heard of a Ukeleke. Is it some sort of vegetable? 

[BilgePump]

You had me at Wayfarer! Always lusted after one, a Merlin Rocket or Flying Fifteen, for different reasons.

[rusty69]

Four seagulls definitely do not make a flock. Four ducks, however, possibly do depending upon technique.Progress through technology.

 

[Peugeot 106]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

 

I totally agree regarding the bikes and suffer from this effect myself. 

 

I also have quite a few ukuleles but I've never seen or even heard of a Ukeleke. Is it some sort of vegetable? 

Regret I’ve started to go strumming for 2 hours on Monday night. It makes Morris Dancing seem quite sensible and I have to leave my pride at the door.  I’ve got it on the boat but never dare practice in case I frighten people and def not in Paddington. I always sound better with around 30 others

i enjoy it though and can sometimes even get Bb

1 hour ago, BilgePump said:

You had me at Wayfarer! Always lusted after one, a Merlin Rocket or Flying Fifteen, for different reasons.

I’ve had all sorts but the Wayfarer is a brilliant cruiser. A couple of years ago my daughter and I sailed it from Largs (Glasgow) to Oban and camped every night in a boom tent. I’ve sailed Flying Fifteens but never a Merlin 

[MrsM]

My dad used to have a merlin rocket international sailing dinghy when I was a nipper. We did several 24 hour races in it which were great fun. Took it on holiday to Wales (towed on a trailer) one year and he was discussing selling it one evening towards the end of our trip. As we were chatting there was a knock on the door - a chap asking if we knew who owned the dinghy because he had always wanted one. He bought it there and then. Easiest boat sale ever.

Extremely easy to capsize as I recall but went like the wind.

Edited June 17, 2023 by MrsM

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Peugeot 106 said:

It makes Morris Dancing seem quite sensible

 

Oh c'mon, now you're really TTP....

 

 

[dmr]

They started to get a bit rare and expensive a few years ago, I heard that some dealers, possibly eastern europeans, were buying up anything they could get their hands on,  so its good that bargains can be had again. I suspect that anybody who wants to call themselves a boater should have a basic knowledge and a bit of hands on experience with a Seagull. I half remember an adventure a few years ago to do the entire K&A with a Seaagull but the young men involved lacked real experience and so failed.

When we moved onto the boat getting rid of the house was easy, getting rid of the VW camper was very hard, and getting rid of the Seagull collection hurt a bit too 😀

[john.k]

Once you own a few of anything collectable,you find you are  buying  at sensible prices ,and can spot incomplete bargains with new parts fitted.

[BilgePump]

11 hours ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I’ve had all sorts but the Wayfarer is a brilliant cruiser. A couple of years ago my daughter and I sailed it from Largs (Glasgow) to Oban and camped every night in a boom tent. I’ve sailed Flying Fifteens but never a Merlin 

That was what I really liked about the Wayfarer. A proper well behaved dinghy that was up to the job of being a good camping cruiser. Was in a dinghy sailing club when a teen and had a go crewing in quite a few different boats. I only had a humble Mirror. Thought that the Flying Fifteen's a lovely small yacht looking dinghy, at 20' long with fixed keel, a bit like the Squib 19', giving it a good turn of speed. The Merlin Rocket though was like an overpowered impractical sportscar. Really easy to make a mistake in, very tippy but extremely fast and a thrill to sail.

[rusty69]

3 hours ago, BilgePump said:

The Merlin Rocket though was like an overpowered impractical sportscar. Really easy to make a mistake in, very tippy but extremely fast and a thrill to sail.

I lusted after a Merlin rocket. There was an unloved one at our school, lovely wooden (clinker built, I think) which I tried to rehome, but never managed. Ended up with an unloved fireball instead. Now they are very unstable.

[BilgePump]

30 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I lusted after a Merlin rocket. There was an unloved one at our school, lovely wooden (clinker built, I think) which I tried to rehome, but never managed. Ended up with an unloved fireball instead. Now they are very unstable.

Had forgotten about the Fireball. Never sailed one but they did look good, fast and like you say, tippy.

[IanD]

On 17/06/2023 at 23:51, MtB said:

 

Oh c'mon, now you're really TTP....

 

 

Compared to a new hybrid narrowboat, Morris dancing *is* sensible. DAMHIK... 😉

Edited June 19, 2023 by IanD

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Compared to a new hybrid narrowboat, Morris dancing *is* sensible. DAMHIK... 😉

 

In that case, I suspect you may never have owned a boat with a two-stroke, hot bulb semi-diesel engine then....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IanD]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

In that case, I suspect you may never have owned a boat with a two-stroke, hot bulb semi-diesel engine then....

 

 

 

 

Owned, no. Spent a week or so on, yes. Great fun so long as somebody else (Pete Thompson) was doing all the hard work. Still have several apocryphal funny stories from it, including the one about the baked beans and the tin opener... 😉