Design and Construction
Hake's signature shallow-draft philosophy is built into the hull from the first glance: a nearly plumb bow extends the waterline to 23 feet, while subtle tumblehome sections low in the topsides widen the waterline beam, lend a salty look, and contribute form stability. The designer describes the hull shape as a "spherical tumblehome" with soft chines and bilges rather than the flatter sections common elsewhere. Forward, there is a fair bit of freeboard, and a short bowsprit doubles as a traditional accent and a practical anchoring platform. The springy stern carries an outboard rudder assembly, and a useful rubrail sits about a foot below the deckline.
Structurally, the hull is solid fiberglass with 3/4-ounce triaxial unidirectional cloth throughout, and there is no wood or structural coring in the layup. A 2 mm layer of Coremat helps prevent print-through, and stiffening comes from Coremat stringers plus extensive molded interior liners and pans; the structural hull liner is vacuum bonded to the hull for strength. The deck is mostly solid fiberglass, with PVC foam and Coremat used in flat areas for structure and sound deadening, and the headliner is a solid fiberglass member vacuum-bonded to the deck. Hull and deck meet on outward-turning flanges forming an inverted J, chemically bonded and bolted on 6-inch centers. The keel is a separate molded piece of heavily laminated biaxial glass filled with ballast and made watertight, attached by two 5/8-inch stainless threaded rods embedded in the ballast and bolted, glued, and glassed to the hull. Hake estimates 500 man-hours go into each boat, and the skin coat uses vinylester resin over the gelcoat.
Rig and Handling
The Seaward 25 is fractionally rigged on a single-spreader 7/8 rig with 280 square feet of sail. The backstay leads to an arm aft of the mast to preserve main roach and attaches to the stern pulpit, while halyards run aft through stainless turning blocks to Ronstan rope clutches and an Anderson #10 winch. The four-part mainsheet is a midboom arrangement, really more of a 3/4-boom setup. A mast air draft of 33 feet is matched to a rig designed for one-person stepping.
On the water the design produces a tender performer that the designer says performs best when heeled 10 degrees and wants sail shortened when the wind reaches 15 to 17 knots. Test sailors found she turns in a boatlength despite the 8-foot-long fixed keel, and backs in a straight line once the helmsman compensates for prop walk. In 8 to 10 knots of breeze she sailed 4 to 5 knots on a reach. The standard shoal-draft model draws 25 inches, while the optional "Bluewater Model" carries a 4-foot 2-inch fin keel; Hake's low-aspect keel with an aft wing was extended by a 26-inch wing added in 1989, which he credits with improving upwind profile when heeled.
Accommodations
Below, the cabintop extends far enough forward of the mast to carry headroom into the forward cabin, where a 7-foot V-berth runs 57 inches wide at the head with 39 inches of clearance above the cushion, plus a hanging locker and a shelf that can serve as a desk. Solid doors give privacy to the forward stateroom and head. The saloon holds 5-foot 9-inch headroom with a bulkhead-mounted table secured by eye and hook, and settees that convert to an athwartships double; a short port settee faces a 6-footer to starboard that also converts. A tiny quarter berth aft of the galley and an 80-by-32-inch berth in the port quarter add sleeping space.
The galley to port offers a large sink, an optional one- or two-burner Origo nonpressurized alcohol stove, and an icebox, with 19-by-15-inch counter space. Opposite, the head is a small enclosed space with a sit-down shower, Jabsco toilet, and one opening port, but no sink; pressurized hot water is optional. All eight portlights open and a good-size forward hatch ventilates the boat. Hake designed the interior so everything can be removed and hosed out, using no carpeting, cloth, or Formica to avoid moisture and odor problems.
Known Issues
Common complaints about the boat are the lack of engine and ice box insulation. Hake acknowledges the tradeoff, noting the ice box insulation thickness lands between 1-3/4 and 2-1/2 inches because something had to be sacrificed. A diesel, when fitted, sits below the companionway steps with 270-degree access from the cabin, which makes the missing insulation more noticeable in close quarters.
Refits and Ownership
The boat has seen a recent change from wood to Delrin runners for the companionway hatchboards, and wheel steering remains an option with a 24-inch wheel and 46 inches of clearance to the companionway. Replacement primary winches with Anderson #16 self-tailers are a listed option. Most boats carry the Yanmar 1GM10 diesel, with the 2GM 20 or outboard alternatives available, and a standard PYI dripless shaft seal reduces driveline maintenance.
The Verdict
The Seaward 25 is a thoughtfully laid-out shoal-draft cruiser that punches above its trailerable size for liveaboard comfort, yet asks the owner to accept modest insulation and a tender motion in stronger breeze.
Pros
- Shoal 25-inch draft with trailerability and an optional deeper Bluewater fin keel
- Vacuum-bonded structural liner and inverted-J hull-deck joint with 6-inch bolting
- Removable, hose-out interior with no moisture-prone soft goods
- Tight turning and straight backing despite the long fixed keel
Cons
- Lacks engine and ice box insulation
- Tender performance that wants sail shortened by 15 to 17 knots
- Head has no sink and limited counter space for a cruising galley
