3 hp British Seagull on a Typhoon?

[Mark]

Will a 3 hp long shaft British Sea Gull be strong enough for a Cape Dory Typhoon? The boats in the Hudson and the current can be pretty strong. I've got a 4 hp Evinrude on it that works well but it has a transmission with reverse and it weighs a ton. I got the Sea Gull out of a long forgotten basement and it's in good shape. I just need to remove the shellac from the fuel system and clean/adjust the points. Compression is good and it will look super on my day sailer. Any advice or experiences would be welcomed.



walterm@mbusa.com

[Jon]

I've heard a lot of stories about British Seagulls, and none of them involve pushing a boat. The temperamental nature of these motors makes them only marginally suited for use as a weedwacker. I've even heard of people taping sandpaper on the ends of the 4 or 5 blades and sanding the bottom after haul-out, as Seagulls are fit for little else around a boatyard. If you do manage to keep it running, the smokescreen produced by Seagull's ravenous consumption of its oil rich fuel will surely leave spectators unable to appreciate the inherent beauty of your Typhoon.

But that's just my opinion,
Jon

[Chris Scheck]

Back in the 60s, we had a Seagull on a Sailstar Orion (like an O'Day Mariner) which we also kept on the Hudson River in Piermont. I learned more curse words from my father due to that motor than from the windless August days, which were also very frustrating. About 4 years later, we left the motor on the dock for a few minutes (an accident?) and when we returned it was gone. A blessing in disguise -- for us, not for the hapless soul who took it! However, I appreciate your desire to have a traditional looking motor on your Typhoon. How about an old Evinrude or Johnson?



cscheck@aol.com

[David Brownlee]

Back in the 1960s my father had a 1 1/2 hp Seagull for his eighteen-foot (LOD) ketch-rigged skiff. It pushed her through calms pretty well, but not much more. On a couple of famous occasions we couldn't get it to start, but we had oars and sails, too. All in all, I'd say that Seagulls are not as bad as people say. At that time the 5hp Seagull was very popular on MORC boats.

David Brownlee



dbrownle@sas.upenn.edu

[Lou Ostendorff]

Hi Jon,
I enjoyed reading your response...have you ever considered writing poetry?
Lou O.



louosten@ipass.net

[Jerry]

Mark,
I currently use a 3hp seagull on my Typhoon Weekender on a part of the San Francisco Bay that is known for strong tidal currents. The motor pushes the boat fast enough to buck the tide which can top 3 knots at times.
The seagull was pulled out of retirement after being stored for over 15 years. It has performed like a champ and I wouldn't trade it for any modern outboard.

Jerry
Benicia, CA



benicia@inreach.com

[Lee H. Hodsdon]

Mark,

We used a 3 hp Seagull on our Typhoon for two seasons. It replaced a brand new, heavy and thirsty Yamaha. The Seagull had a generator, forward and neutral. It carried us up and down the Piscataqua River both with and against the tide (bring a book when going against the ebb). Clean the varnish and pull the cord. You will not be disapointed.

Sincerely,

Lee



lhodsdon@nh.ultranet.com

[Don Sargeant]

I have a pre-war "forty plus" Seagull. It only starts in calm weather. BUT I did barge a 6000lb full keel sailboat in from a good distance out on the Sound in a pretty bad blow once. The engine had plenty of push and even more idiosyncrasies. It's been sitting in my barn, now, for 15 years which is probably the best place for it.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189
Greenwich Cove

Will a 3 hp long shaft British Sea Gull be strong enough for a Cape Dory Typhoon? The boats in the Hudson and the current can be pretty strong. I've got a 4 hp Evinrude on it that works well but it has a transmission with reverse and it weighs a ton. I got the Sea Gull out of a long forgotten basement and it's in good shape. I just need to remove the shellac from the fuel system and clean/adjust the points. Compression is good and it will look super on my day sailer. Any advice or experiences would be welcomed.