May 2003 - montgomery_boats - mailman.xmission.com

Re: M_Boats: Seagull
by Harvey Wilson 25 May '03

25 May '03

Hi Connie.. Stargazer came with a 8hp Yachtwin. Evidently, I didn't winterize it enough, or years of neglect in Florida caused it to not pump water after the first season that I used it (4-5 times in fresh water) Got it fixed for a princely sum and ran happily for a while. Every so often, if it didn't start on the 2nd pull, it was a no start day...probably flooded her badly. I've always loved Seagulls, and found my first one, a Silver Century Plus, circa '67 or 68. I played with it over the winter, and soon located several newer ones..an EFNR that sold before I could bid on it, and a 1992 M-55 with clutch, and a few hours on it...the dealer in Vancouver had it in his stock. That sat on Stargazer for at least 2 years, until I found the EFNRL about 3 years ago. It, too, was close to vancouver, in Wash. state. The onlyproblem with it was someone installed the fuel float upside down, so it probably didn't work too well. I always wanted a Kingfisher, as it was the last of the classic series, and while Practical Sailor didn't rate it as highly as the other low HP models that they tested, it wasn't at the bottom of the pile, and was even quieter then some!! Alas, the 50-1 gas-oil ratio went the same was as Evinrude's 100-1....too many warranty repairs, so it was downgraded to the 25-1 of the middle aged Seagulls. I'm looking forward to using her, once I get familiar with it. Harvey/ Ga M-17 Stargazer #294

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Seagull
by Harvey Wilson 25 May '03

25 May '03

Hi Jerry.. >> 1. It seems to be noiser than most outboards.<< The nature of the beast. Much of the noise is coming from the carb inlet. It's a straight shot into the combustion chamber, and the metal air horn attached to the air inlet does little to mute the noise. The Seagull cure is the QB series, like the Kingfisher that I just found on E-bay <VBG> It has a rubber airway that sucks air from under the engine cover, and the exhaust is water cooled. Check out that saving old seagulls website...it's got more info then Ron's site!! 2. It vibrates more than I would like. A problem with most single cylinder engines. The K/fisher has a somewhat different mounting method, with thick rubber grommets instead of metal to metal contact as on the usual Seagull mounts. My little Seagull (M-55) has a thick rubber like coating on the stubs (bosses??) that hold the engine in the mount. Alas, it soon wears off<sigh> 3. I would like to have a stop on the throttle lever so I could go to an idle rpm, and have a seperate stop button to turn the engine off. As it is now, when I try to idle, I will more than likley kill the engine.<< It takes good control of the throttle to get it just right. "course, the K/fisher has a kill button, but you gotta hold it in for a few seconds. It kills the spart, like most kill buttons, but if you just punch it and let go, it'll pick right up again. Too bad it's not a spring loaded button with a kill cord. The K/fisher also has a throttle stop screw on the carb to keep it from shutting off when you want it to idle. I haven't adjusted mine yet. You might try the britishseagulls.co.uk website. Their prices are much better then Rons ...he has to order like we do (maybe gets a little price break), then must add Canadian tax "VAT"??, pay postage from the UK to Vancouver, B.C., mark it up a bit, then sell it to us. Manuals are a third cheaper coming from the UK. I learned this after ordering 5 from Ron <sigh> >>My fuel line is getting al little old. It's a one piece hose with plastic shut off valve. I'd like to replace it with a brase valve that I could clamp a hose to. The problem is the threads in the fuel tank. They look pretty strange to me. Do you know what size they are?<< Don't know what size the threads are undoubtedly a Whitworth thread, like the rest of the nuts & bolts. A plastic shutoff valve ??All that I've seen ( 5 motors) are brass. The M-55 is a 1992 odel, and has the same shutoff as the '67 (?) model that I had. The K/fisher has a brass shutoff as well, but the hose clamps onto it, instead of screwing onto a fuel line....I can use regular fuel line on it instead of Seagull hoses<GG> It's possible that you can remove the crimped on hose clamps and use regular fuel hose....dunno what size. BTW... I guess that you know that your Seagull was madein May, 1981 Harvey/ Ga M-17 Stargazer #294

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Re: M_Boats: Seagull
by chbenneck＠juno.com 24 May '03

24 May '03

Whoa, Bill I said the 2 HP was adequate for the ComPac 16 and the Montgomery 15. I pushed Eugene's M17 up river against the outgoing tide on the Thames in New London, CT, but the general consensus among the M17 owners is that a 4 HP is the size you want. Of course, that is all a function of where, when and how you are using your boat. On a lake with no current to contend with, and only for getting in and out of a slip a 2 HP would suffice. But, if your boat is loaded, you have wind and tide against you and you want to do more than 1 knot, then more horse power is needed. So it all depends on the sailing area: tides? winds? load in boat? if the wind pipes up do you sail or drop the sails and motor? Answers to these questions determine what you need of a motor size. Connie

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Re: M_Boats: M17'ers with Older M17's
by TOMMYVAL＠aol.com 24 May '03

24 May '03

dont know the exact height, but I just measured my mast and with the masthead light its 22 feet. I would add 4-5 feet for the distance from the cabin top to the bottom of the hull and maybe 2-3 feet from the hull to the ground. I know its just an estimate but it may give you a decent starting point. Fair winds Gary

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Re: M_Boats: Seagull
by Harvey Wilson 24 May '03

24 May '03

Hi Jerry.. Ron is a great guy...as you say, very co-operative. Both of my small Seagulls came from him. I got to know him as a bookseller...got my Clymers and other sailing books from him. He mentioned a Seagull dealer that wanted to sell out, and we discussed it..he said that it would be a good retirement business for me, but I didn't have the spare $12K that Don wanted for the shop, so I eventually talked Ron into buying it. We've kept in touch over the years. What's the complete serial number of your motor ?? Harvey/ Ga M-17 Stargazer #294

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Lyle Hess Trivia, Re-Post
by Honshells 24 May '03

24 May '03

Culling the "sent items" folder, I thought this trivia was interesting enough for a re-post, for anyone who might have missed it the first time. I won't send it again. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Honshells" <chonshell(a)ia4u.net> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 4:36 PM Subject: Lyle Hess Trivia Those of you who receive "Messing About in Boats" may have read the article about the San Diego gaff-cutter "Butcher Boy" in the April 1st, '03 issue (I believe it's a reprint from "Classic Boat"). "Butcher Boy" was built in 1902 to deliver goods to ships anchored near San Diego. She was designed to be fast in order to beat the competition. Anyway, I just happened to be re-reading Morry Edwards' article "Dream-Boat Man" from the "remembering Lyle Hess" section of the MSOG site. "Butcher Boy", still sailing, recently restored by the San Diego Maritime Museum, has quite a racing legacy, having been used primarily for that purpose throughout her 100-year life. According to "Dream Boat Man", Lyle Hess crewed "Butcher Boy" races as a young man. I'm just reminded that the M17 has an amazing legacy: I'm obviously not saying the 17' is a knock-off of "Butcher Boy", but that Lyle would have been inspired by such boats when drawing any of his designs. I don't know of any other trailer sailor ('cept the M23) that has such a rich heritage (maybe the Rhodes/Stuart 19'?) . . .

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M17'ers with Older M17's
by Honshells 24 May '03

24 May '03

How high is the M17's mast if erected while the boat is on its Trailrite trailer? Does anyone know an exact height? I'm talking about the normal rig and NOT the tall . . .

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Re: M_Boats: Seagull
by chbenneck＠juno.com 23 May '03

23 May '03

Hi Harvey, I had a Seagull 3 HP that I found at t Tag Sale - bottom gearbox casting ruined because the previous owner had backed down into a slip and there were rocks where there should have been water. Ooops! So, since the motor didn't sell on Saturday or Sunday, I let the owner marinate for a week and then went around and made an offer that wasn't refused. I got the repair parts from someone near New London, CT, and in short order had a happy running dink engine on the back of my Dyer Dink. Instant trouble analysis if it didn't run: fuel? press the carb plunger: spark, easy to check also............ The only problem was starting with the starter cord. You had to be careful that a passenger didn't get the rope in his / her face; but after the first event, you learned! Much later, I bought a 2 HP Suzuki at another Tag Sale for $15 ( for my ComPac 16). Engine didn't run, but I took it down into my shop, pulled the head and cleaned all the crystallized salt out of the cooling passages; fixed the ignition, and had the happiest running engine I had owned till that time. Now, of course the 2 HP Honda with it's 4 cycle operation is closest to my heart. Connie

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Seagull
by Jerry Duke 23 May '03

23 May '03

Hi Harvey, My motor serial # is EFNRL 85EE1. A couple of things I don't like about it. 1. It seems to be noiser than most outboards. 2. It vibrates more than I would like. 3. I would like to have a stop on the throttle lever so I could go to an idle rpm, and have a seperate stop button to turn the engine off. As it is now, when I try to idle, I will more than likley kill the engine. Have you noticed any of this and if so do you have a fix? I visited Ron's web site. Looks like I will be able to get any parts I might need from him. Thanks for giving me his address. My throttle cable has a kink in it. It still works ok so far, but who knows when it will need replacing. My fuel line is getting al little old. It's a one piece hose with plastic shut off valve. I'd like to replace it with a brase valve that I could clamp a hose to. The problem is the threads in the fuel tank. They look pretty strange to me. Do you know what size they are? Jerry Mystic 333 -- JD

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Re: M_Boats: Seagull
by Harvey Wilson 23 May '03

23 May '03

HI Tod.. Yes, I'll be at Camp perry...Aug 2 to 16, IIRC. Be nice to see a squared away M-17!! <VBG> Harvey/ Ga M-17 Stargazer #294

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