Not sure if this counts, or if its just me admitting to the disease of 'boats' i have.... wife's pleased ( £450 ) ebay... i'll detail the total costs at the end, in case anyone is interested for there own projects

Neil - was it a Stuart Turner? - - we always found the starting handle bar makes a nice place to shackle the anchor chain just before you chuck it over the side, but they do grip well in the mud..................
(lived above their shop/factory in Market Place, Henley, for many years)

hi
yes, she has a stuart tank... but no engine... i have an r3m i might pop in.. but i think the original was probably larger... i think the stuarts are quite sweet
i know the shop..
we love henley
neil

I used to spend time peering through that shop window when I was at Henley College, Deanfield Ave in Henley early/mid 70's.

Small world Alacrity - I lived in the flat above the Health food shop next door on the left , was David Morle still running the engineering section at Deanfield when you were there
ps the college is on the site of the old Gillotts School where I attended as a young-un!!

On the subject of Stuart two-strokes, let me enlighten reader of a major pitfall in their design

Imagine the scene - proceeding along the river at Henley...... "put" "put" "put" with your little Stuart leaving it's blue haze and little oily patches on the river behind you, - Slowly fouling the spark plug because of the over generous amount of lube in the fuel.......
You arrive at Marsh Lock and the thing stumbles to a halt and refuses to start with the handle, - so you manhandle it through the lock, much to the amusement of all of the onlookers
When you get to the other side - you swing away on the handle again but the damn thing wont go because , by this time the plug is so gummed up - and the thing is flooded with oily fuel........
Now - here's the masterpiece of invention........... Stuarts in their wisdom - fitted a little brass plug in the base of the crankcase for just this occassion - so you remove it and drain all of the nasty oil and petrol mix from the crankcase into the bilge - carefull to replace the little plug which usually has a stripped thread because of the frequency of use.
The next obvious thing to do is remove the fouled spark plug and wipe it on something..... Then using the staring handle, give the motor a few quick spins to clear of any residual fuel and muck from the cylinder
Unfortunately the plug lead is just the right length to hang down the side of the engine and usually has no cover so the spark now ignites the vapour and fuel you have carfully drained from the engine...... As you in the prone position and leaning over the engine swinging on the handle, you will either loose your hair and eybrows or get blown out of the boat................ I have seen the former happen and heard of a Henley boatyard mechanic (who should have known better), expierience the latter.

lmao
ive towed such boats up the reach in henley... and mused at them in marsh... i still like there quirkyness... probably because i have one... lol... waiting for a 27ft punt.. i might plop it into...
are there any better opinions? less oil in the mix?

Neil - I have been told that a simple conversion to coil ignition helps - but that only realy works on the 5hp and 8hp with a dynamo and battery,
I also have caught the boat disease! - have just aquired next winter's project - 20ft umpire / coaching boat, (low wash hull and should be EA and PLA speed limit exempt, but I think I would have to be a coach and following a racing boat )

looks speedy... next winter or this one coming?? ... where did you acquire her?

solitaire wrote:Small world Alacrity - I lived in the flat above the Health food shop next door on the left , was David Morle still running the engineering section at Deanfield when you were there
ps the college is on the site of the old Gillotts School where I attended as a young-un!!

On the subject of Stuart two-strokes, let me enlighten reader of a major pitfall in their design

Imagine the scene - proceeding along the river at Henley...... "put" "put" "put" with your little Stuart leaving it's blue haze and little oily patches on the river behind you, - Slowly fouling the spark plug because of the over generous amount of lube in the fuel.......
You arrive at Marsh Lock and the thing stumbles to a halt and refuses to start with the handle, - so you manhandle it through the lock, much to the amusement of all of the onlookers
When you get to the other side - you swing away on the handle again but the damn thing wont go because , by this time the plug is so gummed up - and the thing is flooded with oily fuel........
Now - here's the masterpiece of invention........... Stuarts in their wisdom - fitted a little brass plug in the base of the crankcase for just this occassion - so you remove it and drain all of the nasty oil and petrol mix from the crankcase into the bilge - carefull to replace the little plug which usually has a stripped thread because of the frequency of use.
The next obvious thing to do is remove the fouled spark plug and wipe it on something..... Then using the staring handle, give the motor a few quick spins to clear of any residual fuel and muck from the cylinder
Unfortunately the plug lead is just the right length to hang down the side of the engine and usually has no cover so the spark now ignites the vapour and fuel you have carfully drained from the engine...... As you in the prone position and leaning over the engine swinging on the handle, you will either loose your hair and eybrows or get blown out of the boat................ I have seen the former happen and heard of a Henley boatyard mechanic (who should have known better), expierience the latter.

Lovely Andre! I had a 27' wooden yacht down on the Solent & when I bought her she had a (recently rebuilt) 8hp Stuart in her - what a nightmare, no power & smelly. Chucked out the 1st winter & put in a little Perkins (Kubota?) 20hp 3 cyl diesel - fabulous. I wish I had kept it though might have got a few bob for it these days, instead I left it in Coombes boat yard, Bosham from where it disappeared! (Coombes has also disappeared now & has become - you guessed it - more HOUSES)

Not sure about David Morle, although the name rings a bell. There was a lecturer there with an early VERY short wheelbase Land Rover, might that be him? It would have been 74-75ish.

A spot of varnish, and a few additions, extra seating, cover, fizz holders etc ... some people might get the idea, we are just going to jolly at Henley regatta... lol