Design and Construction
Reid Marine developed the Hawk 20 with designer Chris Hawkins, deciding to create a boat as good as they could make it, built with the most appropriate materials and equipped with the best kit they could find. The hull is a double-chined, flat-sectioned form with a fine entry, broad stern and flat bottom; the flat sections contribute to high form stability, and the fine bow prevents slamming. Nearly half the boat's weight sits as lead castings in the hull bottom, and the vessel is effectively a ballasted dinghy. Instead of a steel plate, a high-grade aluminium centreplate on a Delrin pivot avoids electrolysis and carries a proper foil section for efficiency, while blocks of polyurethane foam enclosed on both sides of the outboard well, beneath the cockpit and below the cabin bunks render her unsinkable. The mouldings are fair and free of any flexing, and the rudder blade is tongue-and-groove timber on a substantial aluminium stock and tiller assembly.
Rig and Handling
The Hawk 20 handles like a big dinghy and is just as stable with the centreplate up as down. The rig is big enough to deliver plenty of punch, with a large mainsail easy to de-power so it seldom needs the couple of reef points provided; a Cunningham hole has no purchase, the jib sheet runs 2:1 on gunwale tracks to avoid a winch in a breeze, and the 6:1 mainsheet can be reduced to 4:1 by the helm. Downwind is where she excels, readily surfing down waves, and she has been clocked at 12 knots. The fine entry, broad stern and flat bottom cause her to round up when pressed, and by about 20° of heel the helm gets heavy, though the big rudder blade keeps her on track most of the time. The tacking angle sits close to 90°, and the spinnaker flies from a self-launching Spiro pole system that keeps handling simple.
Accommodations
The dayboat's enormous cockpit runs 2.5 metres long — roomier than that on many large cruising yachts — with lockers on either side, flowcoated and rubber-sealed with padlockable clasps, and a sole above the waterline serviced by a pair of self-bailers aft. The Cruiser uses space already there in the dayboat; its cockpit is shorter by only 15 centimetres, and the cabin provides two 2.03-metre bunks under 90 centimetres of headroom, a port slide-out shelf for a single-burner gas cooker, and space for a chemical toilet. Weight is identical to the dayboat and extra windage negligible, so there is little to choose between the two in performance, and they compete on equal terms at the Hawk National Championships off Christchurch.
Known Issues
The flat-bottomed, fine-entry hull form is not a defect but a design trade: when pressed beyond a certain point the boat inevitably rounds up, and the helm loads up by roughly 20° of heel, demanding an attentive hand rather than passive steering. The aluminium centreplate pivots on Delrin to avoid electrolysis, yet the pivot and foil remain the moving structural element most exposed to abrasion and fouling in the case. The timber rudder blade, substantial in stock but traditional in blade, is the one wooden structural component in an otherwise glass and foam hull and depends on its seals and finish for longevity. The absence of toe straps confirms the family-boat intent but means crew rely wholly on the 2.5-metre cockpit and its side lockers for purchase.
Refits and Ownership
Trailing is straightforward: the mast hinges down and the outboard lives in a well that lifts it clear of the water, with fairing plugs dropped flush to kill turbulence when raised. An outboard of 2.5 to 6 hp is the designed range, and deck hardware from Harken, spars from Seldén and Sanders sails with luff sliders complete a spec chosen for durability. An Easykick rod kicker and topping lift protect heads from a falling boom when the main is lowered. The Cruiser's spinnaker launches from a bag on the port bulkhead, the biggest handling difference from the dayboat.
The Verdict
The Hawk 20 is a sharply engineered small dayboat that trades elegance for competence: a flat-sectioned, foam-filled, lead-ballasted hull that is unsinkable and self-righting, quick enough to surf at 12 knots and stable enough for a grandmother, yet willing to round up if mishandled. The Cruiser adds real shelter without penalty. Neither is the most elegant of boats, but both are well built and purpose-honest.
Pros
- Unsinkable, self-draining and self-righting by design
- Flat-sectioned hull gives high form stability and a 12-knot surf capability
- Cruiser cabin uses existing volume with no weight or performance penalty
- Easy to trail, launch and recover with hinged mast and liftable outboard
Cons
- Flat bottom and fine entry cause rounding-up when pressed
- Helm grows heavy by about 20° of heel
- Timber rudder blade is the lone wooden structural part
- No toe straps for crew purchase
