Starting a 25hp Seffle

[koukouvagia]

I’ve just worked out how to transfer all my old videos to a digital format. This one was taken in 1997 before I fitted the Kelvin. The commentary, BTW, in the background is by LEO.

I'd forgotten just how much smoke it emitted. At the end of a day's boating there'd be white rings on my face where my glasses had been

Also I used to find lighting the blowlamp much more difficult than firing up the engine.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GSlpxmlWkV0

[MoominPapa]

Wonderful, thank you. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who waggles the tiller in every possible direction in reverse, whilst the boat just goes where it wants to.

 

MP.

[alan_fincher]

OH is interested in how long the blow lamp needs to be applied to get up to temperature at which it will start.

 

Thanks.

 

Alan

[LEO]

OH is interested in how long the blow lamp needs to be applied to get up to temperature at which it will start.

 

Thanks.

 

Alan

 

Brilliant, great camera work.......................................................

 

Leo.

[jake_crew]

Smoke ?? What smoke.

 

Anyway, look on it as SOLID carbon, which drops into the cut and is locked into the mud. Its a carbon sink, you were doing the climate a favour. If the exhaust was cleaner, the CO2 would going into the poor old atmosphere doing what ever the current fashion says CO2 does.

Edited December 29, 2008 by jake_crew

[koukouvagia]

OH is interested in how long the blow lamp needs to be applied to get up to temperature at which it will start.

 

Thanks.

 

Alan

 

In summer it would take about 15 minutes; in winter it could take half an hour. Mind you that left plenty of time to make a bacon fry up over the blow lamp.

I'm not absolutely sure how hot the combustion chamber gets. All I knew was that it was futile trying to start the beast unless the thermometer read 105 degrees. The glow plug gets red hot. Seffle made a superior solid copper glow plug which I managed to get hold of and which conducted heat far faster than the more usual hollow one. The other fast way of starting the Seffle is to put a "firework" in a special holder which screwed into cylinder head. I used these fireworks for a while but never managed to locate a source for them when I'd used them all up.

[jake_crew]

The other fast way of starting the Seffle is to put a "firework" in a special holder which screwed into cylinder head. I used these fireworks for a while but never managed to locate a source for them when I'd used them all up.

 

Our 1930s Gleniffer had a similar "port" in the head for some sort of pre-heater. We were told it was usually a smouldering oily rag !

[koukouvagia]

Our 1930s Gleniffer had a similar "port" in the head for some sort of pre-heater. We were told it was usually a smouldering oily rag !

 

The Seffle ones were much more sophisticated . They were tightly rolled tubes of paper which fizzed like the fuse on a firework.

[bag 'o' bones]

Also I used to find lighting the blowlamp much more difficult than firing up the engine.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GSlpxmlWkV0

 

Having watched a chap fannying about with a paraffin blowlamp to start up a showmans semi diesel at an agricultural show i'm sure a gas version would be a lot easier (and safer!)

[carlt]

Having watched a chap fannying about with a paraffin blowlamp to start up a showmans semi diesel at an agricultural show i'm sure a gas version would be a lot easier (and safer!)

But if you prefer to use a modern method, of starting your engine, wouldn't you prefer to use a modern engine?

[koukouvagia]

Having watched a chap fannying about with a paraffin blowlamp to start up a showmans semi diesel at an agricultural show i'm sure a gas version would be a lot easier (and safer!)

 

It’s quite common for these semi-diesels to have a gas bottle and gas torch, but I reckon they are far less safe, with the possibility of gas spilling into the bilges, than a good, old fashioned blow lamp. I honestly can’t see how they’d get through a BSS examination. I expect most people remove the gas bottles when the examiner calls and put them back when he’s gone.

[Timleech]

It’s quite common for these semi-diesels to have a gas bottle and gas torch, but I reckon they are far less safe, with the possibility of gas spilling into the bilges, than a good, old fashioned blow lamp. I honestly can’t see how they’d get through a BSS examination. I expect most people remove the gas bottles when the examiner calls and put them back when he’s gone.

 

One of my jobs in the new year is to make & fit a gas locker just for an engine starting blowlamp.

 

Tim.

[Derek R.]

I've just worked out how to transfer all my old videos to a digital format. This one was taken in 1997 before I fitted the Kelvin. The commentary, BTW, in the background is by LEO.

I'd forgotten just how much smoke it emitted. At the end of a day's boating there'd be white rings on my face where my glasses had been

Also I used to find lighting the blowlamp much more difficult than firing up the engine.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GSlpxmlWkV0

 

Here's a sweet one: http://tinyurl.com/9qvb8b

 

[/b]I Believe Parry II used to be Seffle powered.

Edited December 29, 2008 by Derek R.

[BuckbyLocks]

Here's a sweet one: http://tinyurl.com/9qvb8b

 

I recognise the boatyard in the Oudehaven in Rotterdam in the video of removing an old engine on that url too.

 

What were you using to preheat the Blowlamp on that Seffle? It doesn't look like a meths flame, much too cool for a good preheat so no wonder it was difficult. I think most people remove the gas blowlamp at inspection time, but I never had the luxury of any gas on board so always had to use paraffin to warm up the Bolinder. Usually started OK, but almost never on first kick! It was possible to get it too hot though.

[Catrin]

In summer it would take about 15 minutes; in winter it could take half an hour. Mind you that left plenty of time to make a bacon fry up over the blow lamp.

I'm not absolutely sure how hot the combustion chamber gets. All I knew was that it was futile trying to start the beast unless the thermometer read 105 degrees. The glow plug gets red hot. Seffle made a superior solid copper glow plug which I managed to get hold of and which conducted heat far faster than the more usual hollow one. The other fast way of starting the Seffle is to put a "firework" in a special holder which screwed into cylinder head. I used these fireworks for a while but never managed to locate a source for them when I'd used them all up.

I thought it looked like a fairly lengthy process. Not exactly appropriate for a quick getaway then! Not really suitable for a quick chug up the marina for diesel or a pump out. I presume you had to get good at poling the boat along for short trips.

Cheers

Cath

PS - sorry to get OH to ask the question (it makes it seem like I don't know how to use a computer!), he happened to be logged on, and my computer was switched off.

PPS - I don't of course (know how to use a computer), but that is another matter (just don't tell my employers!)

[alan_fincher]

Additionally, I'm intrigued how many Seffle's are in narrowboats.

 

What became of your one, please ?

 

The only one I'm very aware of is the one in Severn, (usually found just along the summit).

 

I understood they were somewhat of a rarity, or is that wrong, please ?

 

Alan

[johnthebridge]

Additionally, I'm intrigued how many Seffle's are in narrowboats.

 

What became of your one, please ?

 

The only one I'm very aware of is the one in Severn, (usually found just along the summit).

 

I understood they were somewhat of a rarity, or is that wrong, please ?

 

Alan

I put an 8 horse Seffle in a David Harris tug that he built for me about 25 years ago. It's still in her today, but the bloke I sold it to hardly ever uses it now.

[koukouvagia]

Additionally, I'm intrigued how many Seffle's are in narrowboats.

 

What became of your one, please ?

 

The only one I'm very aware of is the one in Severn, (usually found just along the summit).

 

I understood they were somewhat of a rarity, or is that wrong, please ?

 

Alan

 

Willow Wren imported four 25hp Seffles in, IIRC, 1956. These engines were originally built in the 1930s but were rebuilt by Seffle and then re-sold as new with new engine numbers. Mine was put in Avocet which was skippered by the legendary Jack Monk. One of this batch of Seffles was never commissioned because Jack’s Seffle had a cracked cylinder head and, allegedy, he swiped a spare from the fourth engine. At least that’s what Ron Withey told me. The three remaining Seffles are in Severn (this was was taken out of Lily), in Beckwood, a modern boat belonging to BW employee, John Churchman and the one from Owl which I sold to in 1999, was never put into a boat. I’ve been told that it is sitting in a boatyard somewhere (is it at Stretton?) but it really ought to be put back into a suitable boat.

[alan_fincher]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

 

That really is pretty rare, as I thought I had heard.

 

It's a shame if there's one that could be in a boat, but isn't, but like all these things, as long as it's somewhere, either whole, or as a kit, I'm sure it will find a new life eventually.

[Athy]

I came across a boat powered by a Seffle on, I think, the Coventry canal a few years ago. It wsas not an ex-working boat, much shorter (40 feet? 45 feet?) and black or very dark in colour, and was travelling along with a couple of other vintage-engined boats. Sorry that's a bit vague! Its exhaust emitted a dry barking sound, one bark at a time so maybe it was a single-cylinder.

[DHutch]

.... sitting in a boatyard somewhere but it really ought to be put back into a suitable boat.

Better get working on my* 'second' boat then!

 

*our

 

 

 

Great video, thats for making the effort to make it avilable to us.

- Im alway gently on the look out for a play with a semi-diesal, although im yet to find an opertunity as yet. Happy to exchange for a days steaming on EmilyAnne.

 

 

 

 

Daniel

[David Schweizer]

Watching the video took me back more than forty years, when the Beauchamp Lodge aquired Sweden, I think from Wanders or Dickinsons in the 1960's. At the time she had a Seffle engine, which could be run so slowly that the boat bounced when stationary to the beat of the engine.

 

Sweden was in a pretty poor state and was soon disposed of, but fortuantel she wqas rescued and has been beautifully restored. I saw her last year when the crew stopped briefly close to my old mooring. I rushed up to have look, but sadly the Seffle has been replaced with something a little more practical.

Edited December 30, 2008 by David Schweizer

[Derek R.]

Here's a sweet one: http://tinyurl.com/9qvb8b

 

I recognise the boatyard in the Oudehaven in Rotterdam in the video of removing an old engine on that url too.

 

What were you using to preheat the Blowlamp on that Seffle? It doesn't look like a meths flame, much too cool for a good preheat so no wonder it was difficult. I think most people remove the gas blowlamp at inspection time, but I never had the luxury of any gas on board so always had to use paraffin to warm up the Bolinder. Usually started OK, but almost never on first kick! It was possible to get it too hot though.

 

Lots of interesting engines on You Tube. Typical of the Dutch to heave out the old for something new, though almost contrarily, they have some excellent old vehicle/engine/boat meets. I don't know Koukouvagia (and he's not in Wikipedia ) but lighting Tilleys and Primuses (Primii ?) which I frequently do, I have no trouble if a correct sequence is followed. In an engine 'ole with both doors open (obviously for max light) draught is the enemy, along with some excess paraffin in the wrong place at the wrong time. Make good flame throwers do blow lamps.

 

Most of the video clips seen lighting big continental semi-diesel engines in boats use gas. One Norwegian Rubb is pre-heated from a cylinder lain on the deck - reached through an open port to turn on. Needless to say, one has to be particular about fittings and working practices for safety. Also the names of fuels in different countries. Petrole in France and elsewhere in Europe is our Paraffin, elsewhere it's Kerosene. There's a good website with fuel names World wide here: http://fuel.papo-art.com/ The editors notes are worth reading. Now I'm rambling again . . . reaches for tablets . .

[Paul H]

Willow Wren imported four 25hp Seffles in, IIRC, 1956. These engines were originally built in the 1930s but were rebuilt by Seffle and then re-sold as new with new engine numbers. Mine was put in Avocet which was skippered by the legendary Jack Monk. One of this batch of Seffles was never commissioned because Jack's Seffle had a cracked cylinder head and, allegedy, he swiped a spare from the fourth engine. At least that's what Ron Withey told me. The three remaining Seffles are in Severn (this was was taken out of Lily), in Beckwood, a modern boat belonging to BW employee, John Churchman and the one from Owl which I sold to in 1999, was never put into a boat. I've been told that it is sitting in a boatyard somewhere (is it at Stretton?) but it really ought to be put back into a suitable boat.

Yes one of the Willlow Wren 4 is upstairs in the old mill building at Brinklow Boats and is for sale (£10K). We shouldn't foget there are some smaller Seffles around as well - Hugh McKnight's Parry II had one and there is one for sale at Norbury Wharf (£8K).

 

I don't think Sweden was ever fitted with a Seffle - I think it was a Bolinder. The boat Athy is thinking of is I suspect the tug Finch fitted with a semi-diesel Petter (which was once in The King.) Great though these engines are they tend not to stay in a particular boat for long.

 

Paul H

[koukouvagia]

Our son, Tim Hutchinson, is a children's book illustrator. This is Sam the Narrowboatman attempting to start a Seffle. You'll note that Sam has adapted his blowlamp to run on gas. Also he finds it easier if he has help from a second pair of hands/paws to squirt diesel into the engine as the flywheel is being kicked over.