Launching from the beach?

callambus · 03 November 2014, 20:58

Hi all I recently purchased an old inflatable boat with a seagull outboard, it needs some work doing to it but a gentleman I know with a boat said as it's an inflatable I could just go down to the beach and launch it, simple as that. Is this correct or does he not know what he's on about, I thought this would be the best place to ask.

Regards in advance

Callum

apshutt · 03 November 2014, 21:16

Basically yes. But lots of things to think of first. How reliable is the engine, Inflatable safe? Life jackets? And you should need to have local knowledge as in weather outlook, tides etc. As you are obviously new to this how about trying a canal or a lake first until you get some confidence. At sea things tend to go wrong very quickly for the unprepared. And you want to enjoy it.

apshutt · 03 November 2014, 21:44

Further to this insurance is a good idea and although Seagull outboards are practically bomb proof if looked after they can be a pain if not. Also not the most powerful engines so beware of tides etc.

Fenlander · 03 November 2014, 22:24

I've used and owned loads of Seagulls over the past 50yrs and I would say they are not the best outboard for a novice beach launching unless it is dead calm and you know it will be dead calm when you return. They are very low powered and you will not have the ability to position yourself against any waves rolling into the beach and a launch against any sort of waves can be quite difficult.

As apshutt advises I would try river, canal, lake or perhaps a quiet harbour/safe estuary situation until you are happy the engine is OK to operate and appears reliable.... and to give you some feel for the boat before facing the open sea.

I don't know the area but what about the river Stour near Sandwich (it appears the lower reaches near the sea dry at low water and may be tricky). There is a slipway by the pay and display car park to the south of the river in Sandwich. Here if this works...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.27...NxzFrIDcjw!2e0

Seems you can launch and have 2hrs either side of high water from the slip and there is loads of room in the car park by the slip to get set up.

Others who know it well may advise.

Mikefule · 04 November 2014, 05:21

One problem with launching from a beach is that it usually means that you have to land at the beach a few hours later.

It is one thing to wade out, hold the boat steady, start the engine and set off into the waves. It is another thing to come back in cold and tired with a following sea and try to keep the boat under control as you land. If the waves have got up a bit and the boat turns sideways it can be a handful.

Before you even think of going in the sea you need to have a decent anchor and chain and a long length of anchor line. You ought to have an inshore flare kit. You need to be completely confident in your ability to start the engine and in the engine's ability to start.

On a calm day with a slight onshore breeze, the risks are reduced. Remember that the sea conditions can change quickly, and the state of the surf can change rapidly as the tide rises or falls and the angle of the beach changes.

callambus · 04 November 2014, 07:01

I've had kayaks in the past so have an inshore flare kit, life jackets and a radio phone, it's been a while since I've been out just didn't know if the law was any different for an inflatable, when the boat is all sorted ill definitely be doing my research of tide times and weather

Cheers everyone

apshutt · 04 November 2014, 07:25

That Seagull will make a good anchor, SOME would say, but not me! ;@)

Poly · 04 November 2014, 07:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by callambus

I've had kayaks in the past so have an inshore flare kit, life jackets and a radio phone, it's been a while since I've been out just didn't know if the law was any different for an inflatable, when the boat is all sorted ill definitely be doing my research of tide times and weather

Cheers everyone

I don't think the seagull will have a kill cord (unless added by someone). You might want to investigate the possibility of this - whilst people are saying "its not that powerful" spinning a metal prop at 2000 rpm it will still take your arm/leg/head off. Waves, tight turns, inexperience all add to the risk that you end up with the boat circling around you.

apshutt · 04 November 2014, 07:48

A kill chord for an engine like this can be made by tying a thin rope to the HT lead so it you have a problem it will either pull the cap off the plug or the HT lead out of cap.

Rokraider · 04 November 2014, 14:41

As it is an unknown quantity to you, I would put it on a river or lake first and see how reliable it is. It will also give you a chance to get some handling practice before getting involved with tides and waves etc. It would also be good to get an idea of fuel range, before taking to the sea.

The Black Pig · 04 November 2014, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

I don't think the seagull will have a kill cord (unless added by someone). You might want to investigate the possibility of this - whilst people are saying "its not that powerful" spinning a metal prop at 2000 rpm it will still take your arm/leg/head off. Waves, tight turns, inexperience all add to the risk that you end up with the boat circling around you.

Seriously?

Poly · 04 November 2014, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Pig

Seriously?

which model of seagull do you think is incapable of injuring you?

SPR · 04 November 2014, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

which model of seagull do you think is incapable of injuring you?

the one that craps on your head

www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

barrie · 05 November 2014, 08:46

Most seagulls do not have a clutch you Start and they go, so Wade Out and Start Motor is out, also no reverse gear. Saying that they are nice light british Motors

Nos4r2 · 05 November 2014, 21:12

You can fit a killcord to a Seagull-it involves some creative wiring to the points. It's not that easy, but it's a damn good idea to do it.

Bigmuz7 · 05 November 2014, 21:32

The biggest one I remember was a bout 6 hp .... as inflatables can be moved fast by wind and tide you need a fairly quick responsive motor to control them.... Which a seagull isn't by any means they had very little grunt for the engine size/mass.... Classic old bit of engineering but not suited to the inflatable world imho

Nos4r2 · 05 November 2014, 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

The biggest one I remember was a bout 6 hp .... as inflatables can be moved fast by wind and tide you need a fairly quick responsive motor to control them.... Which a seagull isn't by any means they had very little grunt for the engine size/mass.... Classic old bit of engineering but not suited to the inflatable world imho

Depends what the inflatable is/where it's used. Fine for pottering round most harbours unless it's somewhere with very fast tides. I've still got a Redcrest and a DT2.2 Suzuki, and the old Seagull 40+ I had pushed it faster than the 2.2 does.

barrie · 06 November 2014, 11:27

I also have a 40+ nice little motor Never let me down but I only use for rivers, Lakes, and Harbors .
As a Reserve it will get you home.

fastasfox · 07 December 2014, 05:42

Hi Callum, I too got an old inflatable this year (zodiac) and i purchased an old Mercury 7.5hp to go on it. I spent a bit of time making sure the boat was leak free and i replaced an old patch that wasn't done too well and i re fixed the transom back onto the tubes. I then turned my attention to the engine. I got the old mercury running nice then added a kill cord (a must have item in my opinion). So that was the outfit sorted out the next thing i did was buy three life jackets. I had never taken a boat to sea so i tried my luck on the river Trent just to get the feel of it. I bought the boat to go cove hopping in Cornwall as there are plenty of coves that can only be reached by sea thus giving you a private beach for the day. I launched from a small harbor and kept close to the coast and found a great little cove. The hard part that i found was getting ashore. It was a calm sunny day but even so the breakers were about 2ft tall and they kept smashing into the boat wetting the three of us.Everything in the boat got soaked inc the towels. This upset my wife for a short while but we lay all wet stuff out in the sun and it dried out in 1/2 hr. We went on to having a perfect day in a spectacular private cove making getting wet well worth it. We came across the same problem re launching from the beach (those breakers never stop). The next day i returned to said cove on my own, i wore better shoes put all my stuff into a waterproof bag and instead of using the motor to come ashore i used my oars instead. I got within 10 feet or so from where the breakers were and dropped my anchor.The sea was around three feet deep but the fact that i dropped anchor meant i didn`t have to worry about the boat getting away from me. I then pulled the boat ashore using the breakers to help. Relaunch was just the reverse. So in just one day I went from floundering around looking like a Pratt to looking like i was competent in what i was doing. I guess I had learnt from my mistakes (the best way I find).
You can just rock up to your local beach and put to sea but some local restrictions do apply ie they will post on a beach notice board if your not allowed to launch motor boats ( parents get a bit touchy about getting their children`s limbs cut off with propellers)

I guess all the members of this forum have gone through the above at beginning.
Have Fun mate.