Procedures for the correct use of the
LSC Seagull Engine
The Lilongwe Sailing Club (LSC) owns a Silver Century Seagull outboard engine (S/N WSPC 858 KK5) with clutch drive, manufactured in October 1975, rated at about 5hp. The LSC has permission from the Lilongwe Water Board for use of an outboard engine on Kamuzu Dam for emergency and safety purposes only. That is to say the outboard engine cannot be used for recreational purposes

If use of the outboard is expected such as during large sailing events, then it should be pre-tested in the LSC outboard engine test drum (oil drum). This requires the drum to be filled with water and the engine to be clamped to the flat side of the drum. The engine should then be started following the procedure below

When fitted to the LSC safety boat, the outboard engine should be securely clamped to the transom using the butterfly screws, and a rope should be tied between a non rotating component of the engine and a secure fitting on the boat (should the engine become loose from the transom the rope will prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the lake). The engine should be in the raised position such that the propeller does not scrape the lake bed when the boat is launched

The outboard tank should be checked for fuel. A mixture of petrol and 2-stroke oil must be used in the ratio of 1 part oil to 20 parts of fuel. The fuel is stored at the LSC with the engine in a separate 5 litre fuel can. Add fuel to the tank if necessary and place fuel can in the safety boat

The safety boat should be rowed a minimum of 10 metres from the shore where the propeller can be lowered into the water. At this point the engine starting procedure begins

  • Open the fuel air breather screw
  • Open the fuel tap
  • Press the carburettor fuel flooding button until fuel leaks from the carburettor, this indicates the fuel is flowing
  • Open the air choke (In Lilongwe it is rare that choke is required to start the engine, if it is particularly cold then some choke can be used)
  • Open the throttle leaver to 50% Make sure the gear box is in neutral
  • Rap the starter cord clockwise around the flywheel Keeping a firm hand on the tank pull the chord sharply, the engine should start immediately
  • Should the engine not start then try again
  • If the engine does not start after 4 attempts then it is likely the engine is flooded
  • The spark plug should be cleaned and the above procedure repeated

To stop the engine in a hurry simply block off the carburettor air intake

To stop the engine in preparation for returning to shore close the fuel tap and allow the engine to burn all fuel in the carburettor, this will take about 1 minute, after which the engine will stop

On returning to shore ensure the propeller is raised

Before storing the engine the carburettor must be drained of fuel and it is necessary to close the fuel breather screw and fuel tap. The engine is stored upright in the LSC store room with the spare fuel can. If the fuel can is empty then please alert the committee