60s Sea Hawk

by Eddie Gregory
(Ireland)

Hi,

What a great site you have, a treasure to any budding boatbuilder, thanks.

I have just started building a 21-foot Sea Hawk cabin cruiser from plans freely available on the web.

So far I have built the 5 frames in oak and am just finishing off the transom.

Will not get excited until I see it laid out.

Check out my wee site at www.floatyourboat.

The plans specify 3/8 ext ply but i'm using 3/8 marine ply and fibreglassing over.

How many layers do you think I should use?

I am also going to glass the bilge area inside.

I'm having trouble using soft brass screws.

Seeing I'm glassing her do you think I should use plated steel star-head screws instead?

Thanks again.

Eddie

Comments for 60s Sea Hawk

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Nov 18, 2023
 Sea Hawk
by: Toby

My father built one in the early 70's.
He enjoyed it for 20 years.
He told me to cut it up after he died, don't know why.
I did and was amazed as I cut it up all the pieces and sections held their shape.
Could have glued it back together.
Nice boat.
Through his example I built a 38' steam bent oak and mahogany dragger and fished it for 30 yrs.
Oct 27, 2020
 Such a nice boat!
by: Dom

Hi. After looking at your boat, I think I found my next big project and the boat I'll get to enjoy when I retire.

May I ask the kind of performance you get with the 70hp outboard (speed and fuel consumption) I have my eye on a 90hp Evenrude Etec, is it too heavy for the boat?

Take care.

Dominique

PS. Any video of the Pamela Marie on the water?
Sep 23, 2018
 Sea hawk
by: Anonymous

Does anybody know where I can get pictures of a sea hawk being built?
Jan 23, 2018
 Plans
by: Mike

Free Plans
Jan 23, 2018
 Info
by: Anonymous

Where to go to get the plans
May 26, 2015
 Built Sea Hawk,1964-69
by: John B.

Eddie: It's a long time since you built your Sea Hawk, but I have a few pointers for anyone else who may be contemplating same.

I could not get a clear length of Mahoghany or Oak for the keel, so I used fir, which is plentiful in Canada.

I used Aerolite 300, same glue that was used for the Mosquito bombers.

Must be careful to work in a well-ventilated space, since the glue is toxic.

Newer chemical -bonding glues are superior now.

I purchased all fastenings at one time, using Silicon Bronze screws throughout.

I bought a stepped combo drill bit that did the pilot hole, screw shoulder & taper for the heads in one go.

It was for all the planking, bottom and sides.

Since the hull was built upside down, lots of the excess glue ran up the sides, but got cleaned off before inside was painted.

I built the stem joint out of a doubled layer of sawn Oak, with an Oak dowel thru the stem and joining piece.

I turned the dowel using my hand drill & it went fine.

As I previously mentioned,the cabin was lengthened to ten feet, to allow for overnight trips along the Trent Canal in Ontario, Canada.

We used our boat for 26 years & retired it instead of selling.

Good luck to any who choose this design.

John B.
Apr 08, 2015
 Great boat!
by: Dennis Ely

Eddie I love your modifications to the Sea Hawk.

How does she run with the 90 hp motor?

Did you use the transom bracket in the plans?
Jul 29, 2014
 fellow builder
by: john b

Hi, Eddie:Hope you and family continue to enjoy your beautiful boat.

After seeing your website and the careful and thorough job you did, I wish that I'd been able to see it before I began back in 1964.

Even so, our Sea Hawk gave us 26 years of enjoyment here on Lake Simcoe, Trent canal.

I'd send you a photo of ours, but don't know how.

I extended the cabin to ten feet, so we could sleep the four of us in comfort.

That engine wasn't available back then, so we had to do with an old 75 Evinrude, a real gas guzzler!

All the best in future.

Happy boating. JaB.
May 24, 2012
 Rum Runner
by: Eddie



Hi mike,

Just to let you know my Sea Hawk was launched on Monday.

Had a fantastic 13 mile maiden voyage to her marina.

More videos and pictures on my wee site www.floatyourboat.info.

Keep up the good work,

Eddie
Oct 29, 2009
 Sea Hawk
by: Mike

I've just been checking your wee website, she is certainly coming on.

I can see why you are pleased with your weeks work.
Sep 12, 2009
 Thanks
by: Eddie

Wow! Thanks Bill & Mike. I will take your advice on board and have found your tips useful already. Thanks Again.
Ed
Sep 11, 2009
 Brass Screws
by: Bill

If you?re having trouble with the screws sticking and the heads wringing off try lubricating the threads.

Dip them in some old paint or varnish but don?t use anything greasy that will affect the epoxy.

Bill
Sep 10, 2009
 60s Sea Hawk
by: Mike

Hi Eddie,

She looks like she will be a smart boat when she is finished.

And judging by your 'Wee Website' you are doing a great job so far.


I'm glad to see that you are using 'Marine' plywood.

Using anything less than marine grade ply is, in my opinion a false economy, especially when you weigh it against all the time and effort you are putting in to the building.

As for how many layers of fiberglass cloth to use I guess that all depends on the weight of cloth you intend to use, how much wear and tear she is going to be subject to and how much you are prepared to spend.

The cloth is used to mainly add abrasion and impact protection though it will also add strength.

As you are using marine grade ply a couple of layers will probably be fine, with perhaps an extra layer on the underwater sections.

But it might be worth adding some extra tape along the chines and other vulnerable joints such as the stem and around the transom.

Remember that it is the glass that provides the strength and abrasion resistance, so the greater proportion of glass to resin the better.

?6oz? fiberglass cloth is the one most commonly used, the plain weave with the twisted yarns tends to wet out easier especially when doing multiple layers and its less inclined to fray than the cheaper stuff.

Apply a seal coat to your bare wood before glassing.

And add subsequent layers of glass as soon as the lower layer has become tack free.

Wetting-out the layers of glass together will allow them to swell more with resin and allow excess resin to be spread to make the lightest lay up.

And keep an eye on the temperature and humidity when glassing.

You say that you are having trouble using soft brass screws.

Could that be because the pilot holes are not the correct size?

As you are glassing her, you could use stainless steel screws but not the plated type.

And I would avoid those ?star-head? screws, just in case you should need to remove them for any reason.

I'm looking forward to seeing how she progresses.

Mike

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