I have found that I can have all the advantages of a well mounted O/B, and yet full steerability - even from a standstill. This can greatly assist mooring & docking.

My Mk2, Sunbeam (149), has a Tohatsu 5HP L/S in a well. The well does look a bit home made - the mounting pad flexes a bit too much and the original full width Lazarette lid has simply had a cut out to clear round the engine. I think this may be typical of many Mk 2s. It may not work on all Seal 22s, but I found that by packing the pad up by 3/4", I could "steer" my engine through 360 degrees (without the optional remote tank hose and electrics connected of course - that does limit things a little bit). With this arrangement, the cavitation plate was just comfortably clear of the hull underside at all times - easily checked by fully rotating whilst on the trailer though.

Have a look before you launch - it could be time well spent.

Coming back to the locker lid, this is crying out to be remade into 2 small hinged lids either side of the well. Has anyone got any tips on how to remould?

Phil Longhurst

Seal 22 - steering with outboard engines

When I had my Sinbad (which has the same well arrangement as the 22) I found the same thing although with the Merc 7.5 you couldn't turn it very far, it was enough to make for some impressive low-speed manoevres.

Snag was you had to take the slurp-plates out to do it. Slurp-plates are a pair of plates that fit either side of the outboard leg to fill the gap. Although not watertight they completely stop the sea from slurping up into the stern lockers and also deflect a lot of the exhaust fumes away from the locker. I suppose you could make slurp plates out of flexible rubber so as to have the best of both worlds. See 22 Tech Handbook pp 33, 61.

Geeoff Harwood

Geoff Harwood