Save Sea Hawk

RESTORATION

14 Sept

Thanks to Jeremiah Benjamin (custodian of WILD WAVE) for letting us know about this one.

SEA HAWK is on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels but she may not be around much longer.

She was was built in 1920 at J R Jones yard in Melbourne on the Maribynong River. Jones’ craft tended to be of a deeper more veed hull shape than later builders such as Locke and Lacco.

She has a red gum keel, New Zealand kauri planking and blue gum frames. The spars are Oregon pine. It is about 9.50m long and one of the bigger couta boats - they were typically around 8 to 8.5 metres long.

She’s had a number of different lives. When new in 1920, she took parties out sailing (under the name of STARLIGHT) and for picnics from Sorrento Pier on Port Phillip, something many couta boats did alongside, or as an alternative to, fishing.

Image thanks to Tim Phillips at the Wooden Boatshop

In 1923 SEA HAWK began her professional fishing career, probably while owned by Joe Harry and Sandy Culliver. It continued fishing until around 1944 when she was employed as a lighthouse supply vessel. From 1950 SEA HAWK is thought to have been used purely for recreational sailing.

Jeremiah did a survey on her last week in Port Albert, Victoria, and he says that unless someone with deep pockets or time and expertise comes along, he thinks she will be destroyed. He says the planking is good but her deck beams coach house and frames have all had it. Here are some current pictures.