- New Sailboats
- Sailboats 21-30ft
- Sailboats 31-35ft
- Sailboats 36-40ft
- Sailboats Over 40ft
- Sailboats Under 21feet
- used_sailboats
- Apps and Computer Programs
- Communications
- Fishfinders
- Handheld Electronics
- Plotters MFDS Rradar
- Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
- Anchoring Mooring
- Running Rigging
- Sails Canvas
- Standing Rigging
- Diesel Engines
- Off Grid Energy
- Cleaning Waxing
- DIY Projects
- Repair, Tools & Materials
- Spare Parts
- Tools & Gadgets
- Cabin Comfort
- Ventilation
- Footwear Apparel
- Foul Weather Gear
- Mailport & PS Advisor
- Inside Practical Sailor Blog
- Activate My Web Access
- Reset Password
- Customer Service
- Free Newsletter
The PDQ 32 Cruising Cat Used Boat Review
Dufour 44 Used Boat Review
Blue Jacket 40 Used Boat Review
Catalina 270 vs. The Beneteau First 265 Used Boat Match-Up
How to Create a Bullet-Proof VHF/SSB Backup
Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW
Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions
Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors
Revive Your Mast Like a Pro
Solving the Dodger Dilemma
Polyester vs. Nylon Rode
Getting the Most Out of Older Sails
Sailing Triteia: Budget Bluewater Cruising
How To Keep Pipe Fittings Dry: Sealant and Teflon Tape Tests
Fuel Lift Pump: Easy DIY Diesel Fuel System Diagnostic and Repair
Propane Leak: How to Detect, Locate and Fix
Why Choose the Wharram Design?
Winterizing: Make It Easy With Checklists
Stopping Holding-tank Odors
Giving Bugs the Big Goodbye
Galley Gadgets for the Cruising Sailor
The Rain Catcher’s Guide
Sailing Gear for Kids
What’s the Best Sunscreen?
UV Clothing: Is It Worth the Hype?
Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing
R. Tucker Thompson Tall Ship Youth Voyage
On Watch: This 60-Year-Old Hinckley Pilot 35 is Also a Working…
On Watch: America’s Cup
On Watch: All Eyes on Europe Sail Racing
Dear Readers
- Sailboat Reviews
A trailerable pocket cruiser introduced in 1984 by Hake Yachts, this pricy plumb-bowed sloop is made for exploring the shallows. It's laid out for a cruising couple or young family.
Nick Hake graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1974, then pulled up stakes and left the cold Great Lakes winters for sunny Miami, where he became head chef at Horatio’s restaurant in the tower of the Coconut Grove Hotel. While working nights in that occupation, he began building boats for profit, starting with molds and dinghies. Of those times, he says “It’s what I wanted to do. I love boats and always wanted to be self-employed.”
Within the year, he was ready to take the plunge into full-time boatbuilding, so he hung out his shingle and set up shop. In the ensuing eight years he built 2,000 dinghies before introducing a 17-foot sloop he called the Slipper. Eventually stretched to 18 feet, the boat was renamed The Fox, to distinguish it from a competitor’s daysailer called The Hen.
Five years later Hake introduced a 22-footer, and named his company Seaward. He eventually stretched the 22 into a 23, which he still builds; then, exhibiting a case of one-foot-itis, made a 24-footer. That one he stretched to 25 feet—and that boat is the subject of our story. It’s built in the Stuart, Florida warehouse that Hake established in 1984. along with its 18, 23-, and 32-foot siblings.
All of Hake’s boats are shallow-draft designs for trailer sailors. He’s in the process of building tooling for the prototype of a 45-footer for his personal use that will be put into production after testing in the Caribbean. It, too, is designed with a shallow draft for gunkholers.
Since its formation, the company has produced 2,000 dinghies, 1,000 Foxes, 300 23-footers, 591 25-footers, and 41 of its relatively new 32- footer.
In 1993 Hake was approached by a group of Philadelphia lawyers who owned a conglomeration of other businesses, and he sold them the company. However, after two years, the economics of the boatbuilding business wore thin with the investors. When they offered to sell the company back to Hake for pennies on the dollar, he again assumed ownership. “I learned how much I missed the business,” he says. “Now I have the luxury of managing it as a non-starver, compared to some other builders.”
Design Of his designs Hake says, “I have no interest in racing, but I do want to go fast. I want to design and build boats that will go as fast as possible, within the context of boats that are gunkholers.”
He categorizes the Seaward 25 as a “pocket cruiser for adult audiences. I designed a boat that is the target boat I would build for myself for cruising in Florida’s waters and in the open sea down to the islands. I built it for the stuff I do.”
The hull is designed with a nearly plumb bow and stern to maximize waterline, and performance. The company’s brochures are misleading here: The LWL is published as 23′, but is 23’8″; the LOA is 26’9″. However, the length on deck at the headstay is nearly identical to the LWL, the difference accounted for by the anchor platform.
Hake describes the hull shape as having a “spherical tumblehome,” with soft chines and bilges, as compared to flatter sections on other boats. Considering her displacement of 3,600 pounds, of which 1,200 pounds is ballast, and 280 square feet of sail, the design produces a tender performer.
He says she performs best when heeled 10 degrees, and that sail should be shortened when the wind pipes up to 15-17 knots. Sailing a test boat in 8 knots of breeze with a full main and 135% genoa, we were within Hake’s recommended heel angle and the helm was balanced.
Of the relatively high topsides and bow, he says “they’re designed that way because I don’t want water coming over the bow. I don’t like to be wet.”
Underwater appendages are a shallow, 2′ 1″ deep, 8-foot long fixed keel, and a fairly small, low-aspect transom-hung rudder. In a modification from early models, Hake added a 26″ wing to the aft part of the keel in 1989. The wing helps increase the keel’s profile when heeled, and, according to Hake, improves upwind perfomance.
The Seaward 25 has been on the market since 1984 in various models, and is continually evaluated with an eye to improving performance or livability. It was last redesigned in 1995.
Appearance Curbside, this boat’s appearance and hints of her personality seem to change with one’s point of view. Viewed from the forward quarter, her most striking characteristics are a plumb bow, a high, sloping sheer line, and beam carried well aft, with a bit of tumblehome near the cockpit.
In profile, she looks workmanlike. A moderate sailplan on a single- spreader 7/8 rig balances a cabintop extending far enough forward of the mast to carry headroom into the forward cabin without appearing top-heavy.
Her profile is accented by the anchor platform, four shiny stainless steel ports, and bow and stern pulpits. Call her gracefully workmanlike, or purposefully fair, depending on your point of view.
Deck Layout Since she was conceived by Hake as a “sailboat for mature audiences,” the rig, layout of deck gear, and cockpit size are straightforward and uncomplicated. Though wheel steering is an option, and space is available for installation of cockpit speakers, she’s a far cry from a dockside entertainment center. The wheel diameter is 24″, which allows easy movement for helmsman and access to the stern gate. However, after our test sail we concluded that we’d prefer steering with either a tiller or a larger wheel, so steering from the rail doesn’t wear out the triceps.
With 46″ of clearance between the wheel pedestal and companionway, and 25″ wide cockpit sole, she’ll seat four on seats and two in aft corners. Seats are 15″ wide and backrests 11″ high, adequate for most adults. Moving around in the cockpit while underway will be a greater challenge if she’s equipped with a tiller.
With the mainsheet located mid-boom, the trimmer operates at the companionway. Primary winches are close at hand, so the helmsman can steer without interfering with crew; conversely, the controls are close enough to allow relatively easy singlehanded sailing.
Halyards are led aft through stainless turning blocks to Ronstan rope clutches and an Anderson #10 winch. Replacement of primary winches with Anderson #16 self-tailers is a $650 option.
The starboard lazarette is 28″ deep, 34″ inches wide, and more than 6 feet long—adequate for storage of an inflatable dinghy or spare sails. Space for a 6-gallon fuel tank is located under the aft starboard seat. Whether equipped with a one-lung diesel or outboard, this is a good idea that other builders of boats this size would do well to emulate. The tank is easily accessible, portable, saves space belowdecks, and reduces production costs.
There’s no locker to port since the space below is occupied by a quarterberth. The seat lid raises to provide access or ventiliation to the berth.
A recent change from wood to Delrin runners for companionway hatchboards means the hatch has decreased friction, maintenance needs, and cost, and greater weather resistance.
The deck is surrounded by 22″ pulpits and a 20″ tall lifeline. Movement underway was unimpeded, except by a dodger that narrowed the space between the cockpit and toerail. Shrouds dead-ended at the top of the cabintop and stainless steel handrails on the cabintop all provide excellent handholds. The nonskid has a very aggressive pattern that provides grip on a wet deck and adds to her appearance.
At the bow, a stainless steel strike rail forward of the hawsepipe protects the deck from being damaged by ground tackle. The anchor well, a compartment isolated from the forward cabin, holds 20-30 feet of chain and 150 feet of line. It drains overboard. A single 10″ stainless cleat, larger than those found on most similar-sized boats, is on the foredeck. A Bowmar bow hatch is 17″ square.
As on many boats with deck-stepped masts, electrical connections may create problems. The wiring connections at the butt of the mast can be damaged or kicked loose, but maybe that goes with the territory.
The backstay is attached to the stern pulpit, and this concerned us: It was hard to see how to get good headstay tension, and with mid-boom sheeting we thought there might even be mast stability worries. Hake says the mast is so stiff that bending it is not worth trying. As for strength, he provided photos of a boat suspended from a crane with lines attached to bow and stern pulpits.
Belowdecks Hake espouses two principles that affect his approach to designing spaces belowdecks. The first places function ahead of form: “We use every inch of space we can, and design so everything can be removed and the interior hosed out for cleaning.” That’s a worthy objective, certainly more easily accomplished on a 25-footer than a larger cruiser. Solid doors, however, are installed for privacy in the forward stateroom and head.
Second: “We use no carpeting, cloth, or Formica, because they tend to absorb moisture and odors, peel, chip and tear, and are hard to clean.” The company will, however, install wood battens on the hull in the cabin for owners wishing for a warmer feel.
Arrangement of spaces belowdecks is straightforward. The galley runs fore and aft to port, opposite the head; a short settee to port sits opposite a 6- footer to starboard that converts to a berth. Other sleeping accommodations are in the bow and a quarterberth in the port quarter.
The dining table is mounted on the bulkhead and secured with an eye and hook, but has no legs. It is deployed by being unlatched to a horizontal position and moved horizontally on a stainless steel bar until situated amidships. At that point, two adults on both sides of the table can dine. It’s a good arrangement, except that when not in use, the wire securing the table to the bulkhead forms a loop that could catch an unsuspecting passenger. Add Velcro and the problem is solved.
Headroom in the cabin is 5′ 6″, but slightly higher in the galley when the hatch is open.
Operating space on the galley counter is 19″ x 15″ inches, and the space in which the stove is mounted 25″ x 42″—adequate for the preparation of typical sailing meals. The galley may be equipped with a one- or two-burner Origo alcohol stove. The ice box is big enough to hold two large ice blocks.
While there are bunks for four, real privacy will be hard to find, as on any boat this size. It’s best for a couple, or a couple with one or two small fry.
The forward cabin has a 7′ V-berth that is 57″ wide at the head. Clearance between the top of the cushion and the deck is 39″, so there’s room to dress while seated on the cushion without banging the deck. A vanity to starboard is 30″ x 16″; storage is in a hanging locker to port and shelves lining the hull. Fresh air comes from three vents.
Like most quarterberths, this one is designed to double as a storage area. The berth is 80″ long and 32″ wide, outfitted with a thin pad. When not in use, the pad can be rolled up and stored in straps attached to the hull. However, a crewmember intending to sleep frequently in the space will benefit from a thicker pad.
Interestingly, the designer’s intent is for two crew to sleep athwartships when the port and starboard settees are united across the center of the saloon to create a double berth.
The head is a small, enclosed space with a sit-down shower, Jabsco toilet, and one opening port. There’s no sink, and pressurized hot water is an option.
If installed, a diesel is located below the companionway steps, with 270-degree accessibility from the cabin. Access aft is from the starboard cockpit cocker, or by removing a panel in the quarterberth.
Common complaints about the boat are the lack of engine and ice box insulation.
“Those are legitimate,” Hake says. “We had to sacrifice somewhere, so the thickness of insulation in the ice box is between 1-3/4″ and 2-1/2″. But it’s been improved in the last year. We can always add insulation to the engine box, but that adds a lot of weight.”
Construction Hake estimates that 500 man-hours are spent in the construction of each Seaward 25. Based on our inspection of four boats, three used, it appears that his crew is doing good work.
The lamination schedule for all Seaward models is substantially the same: following the application of a gelcoat, vinylester resins are employed in the skin coat. The next step is the layup of 1.5-ounce chop-strand mat applied with a chopper gun. “I know some people don’t like that,” says Hake, “but it’s an effective way of assuring that there’s resin on both sides of the strands.”
The balance of the layup includes a layer of 2 mm Coremat, which helps prevent print-through from the main laminate, followed by 1.5-oz.mat, 34-oz. triaxial cloth to add density and strength, and 1708 biaxial or 34-oz. triaxial mat. There’s no wood or structural coring in the layup of a hull.
In the deck, PVC foam and Coremat are provide structure and sound deadening, and the headliner is a solid fiberglass structural member vacuum-bonded to the deck.
Deck hardware is tapped into 1/8″ aluminum plates bedded in the fiberglass lamination, which has been tested to 14,000 psi, Hake says. “The aluminum has been tested to withstand 20,000 psi.”
The hull-deck joint is bonded with a slurry of polyester putty impregnated with talc and fibers, and fastened with stainless steel bolts on 6″ centers. The keel is constructed of a hollow fiberglass structural mold into which a slurry of resin and lead are added. It is attached to the hull with 5/8″ threaded rods embedded into the ballast and bolted, glued, and glassed to the hull.
The company fabricates most of its stainless steel parts, including shiny, precisely fabricated stainless steel ports, and four-bolt cleats.
With such a long production run, there are some differences in construction details and quality between model years. Prospective buyers should consult online discussion groups for specifics, for example the Seaward Yachts Forum linked through www.trailersailor.com .
Performance With assistance from Karen Trusty of The Sailing Life in Portland, Oregon, we sailed a two-year-old Seaward 25 on the Columbia River. At 6′ tall and weighing 165 pounds, the owner of the boat claims that he can rig and launch the boat by himself in only 1-1/2 hours.
Once underway we learned that she turns in a boatlength, despite the length of her keel, and backs in a straight line once the helmsman compensates for prop walk.
We sailed in 8-10 knots of wind, flying a 135-percent genoa, the maximum recommended by the designer, and full mainsail. The helm was responsive, and the boat quickly accelerated with the occasional puff of breeze.
In a steady breeze we sailed at 4-5 knots on a reach. Hardening up and pushing to within 45 degrees of the wind, speed dropped by about a knot. We couldn’t record precise speeds because of a dirty speedo impeller. In fact, it was hard to get an accurate feel for her performance altogether, because the river current flows into the prevailing winds. However, sailing cross-current on a beam reach, she showed good speed, helm balance, and tracking. We’d like to take a longer sail to weather in open water.
She did provide a comfortable ride, especially when compared to water- ballasted trailerables, and was easy to sail with little muscular effort.
Power Optional powerplants are an outboard or 9- or 20-horsepower Yanmar diesels. Most boats are equipped with the1GM10, but owners in areas with stronger current and bigger seas voice the opinion that the larger engine is a better choice.
Price Characterized by Hake as a “Volvo,” there’s no arguing that the boat is priced in the upper stratosphere, compared to similar-sized trailerables.
Base price for the Seaward 25 is $34,000, FOB the factory. Add a wheel ($1,900), mast crutch ($210), 25 gallon portable head ($375), one-burner Origo stove ($250), Yanmar 1GM10 ($7,100), galvanized double-axle trailer ($3,600), instruments, and other accessories, and the price escalates by 25-40 percent.
Of the price, Hake says, “First, stand back and look at the boat. It’s very nice to have people stop you wherever you go and say ‘nice-looking boat.’ We pay more for one of our ports than the production builders pay for all of theirs, and ours are worth it. Same for our 4-bolt cleats, stanchion bases, winches, blocks. Our glasswork is several steps better. We recently made our trailer people use 2″ bearings, 6-ply steel-belted tires, and the best brakes you can put on a trailer.”
Conclusion We examined four of the boats, one new and three used. We found the workmanship to be consistent. Gelcoat surfaces were smooth and free of printthrough. We saw no evidence of crazing. Except for normal wear and tear, a well-maintained boat appears to stand up well to normal use. Construction is certainly solid, and the hardware first-rate. We still aren’t sure about the backstay connection, but do acknowledge the picture of the boat being suspended by the pulpits.
The basic hull design and rig are well-suitedfor coastal sailing, real gunkholing, and fairly easy trailering. The cockpit, deck, and running rigging layouts are simple and workable for a singlehander. The layout belowdecks shows a sensible mix and weighting of elements—an enclosed toilet and a workable galley in a boat this size are pretty fair accomplishments. The “camper” elements—portable fuel tank provision, ability to access the quarterberth from the cockpit, large ice-box space with the sacrifice of insulation—seem to us wise choices, considering how the boat will likely be used.
For most potential buyers, her greatest drawback will be price. Water-ballasted, trailerable 25-footers (her competition) sell for significantly less, assuming the use of outboard power. They aren’t built as robustly, and will depreciate faster and farther, but they get the basic job done. The extra $300-400 per foot that Hake charges for the Seaward 25 might, for the devoted cruising couple in Florida, the Bahamas, or anywhere there’s shallow water to be explored, be worth the difference in the long run.
In the used-boat market, the resale value of a five-year-old Seaward 25 is typically between 85 and 90 percent of its original price. At press time, there are 12 used Seaward 25s advertised for sale on the Internet. Asking prices range from $13,500 to $53,900, with the average around $42,000.
Hake Yachts, Inc. 772/287-3200 www.seawardyachts.com
RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR
Hello owner of 1995 seaward 25 26,9 with 9 hp can I install a 3 cyl fresh water Yanmar with out much difficulty
also added 2 in forward and 2 in depth on rudder, was thinking of adding 4 in to the wing keel Thank You
I have a 25′ from 1990, Great boat ! considering replacing the rigging soon. Does anyone know if the end fittings on mast are Seaward/Hake specific?!
LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply
Log in to leave a comment
Latest Videos
A Sailboat Tour of the Exquisite Little Harbor 63 Ketch
Dock and Anchor Lines – Polyester or Nylon?
The Performance Sailboat from Island Packet: Blue Jacket 40 Boat Review
Top 3 Winter Boat HACKS!
Latest sailboat review.
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell My Personal Information
- Online Account Activation
- Privacy Manager
No water, no problem, with this shoal-draft pocket cruiser
I like shallow-water sailing," said Nick Hake, president of Hake Yachts and builder of the Seaward 25. "I like to glide across the flats and nose in close to the beach before I drop the hook. That's gunkholing. That's sailing." It's not surprising that the trailerable Seaward 25 has a draft of just 25 inches. What is surprising is the level of quality lavished on this pocket cruiser. "Just because it's a small boat, don't assume that the Seaward 25 is targeted for the first-time buyer," Hake said. "Most Seaward owners are already experienced sailors. Some are downsizing from larger, more system-oriented boats and others just share our vision of what a boat should be." That vision is summed up in a brochure that describes the Seaward 25 as a "pocket cruiser for adult audiences."
Nick Hake began building boats more than 20 years ago in a dingy warehouse near the Miami Airport. He jokes that if he had gone into another business and worked as hard he'd be rich. "The problem is," he said with a wry smile, "I love boats."
Don't feel too bad for him though. Today, his modern facility in Stuart, Florida, is turning out boats at a rate of one a week. In addition to the Seaward 25, Hake Yachts also offers the 19-foot Fox, the Seaward 23 and the innovative 32-foot Eagle centerboarder. Production of the 25 far outnumbers the other boats. In 1997, the boat was given a minor redesign and hull number 600 of the total production run will soon be launched.
Hake, who also designs all his boats, opted for a hull that strikes a traditional pose above the waterline but is quite innovative below. The Seaward 25 has a sweeping sheerline and a fair bit of freeboard forward. The topsides have subtle tumblehome sections down low, which extends the waterline beam, adds a salty look and offers some form stability. The springy stern features an outboard rudder assembly, and the nearly plumb bow, one of the results of the redesign, extends the LWL to 23 feet. This not only improves performance, but also creates more interior volume in the forward cabin. A short bowsprit accentuates the traditional look and is also practical as an anchoring platform. I like the fact that the forestay and stemhead fitting are not integral to the sprit.
The details Although the Seaward 25 is offered with an optional 4-foot, 2-inch fin keel, which is called the "Bluewater Model," it is clear that Hake is partial to the standard shoal-draft model. The essence of the boat lies in its shoal draft and easy trailerability. "Twenty-five inches is the key," Hake explains. "If a boat draws even a fraction more it becomes difficult to launch off most trailer sites."
Although most Seaward 25 owners leave their boats in the water at slips during the season, they like the flexibility that a trailer offers. Distant cruising grounds are easier to reach via the highway, and there is no reason to pay winter storage fees when your boat would be just as happy sitting in your driveway. Also, if severe weather is forecast, you can pop the boat on the trailer and haul it out of harm's way.
The Seaward 25 has what Hake calls a low-aspect keel with an aft wing. The main section has reverse draft, meaning that it is wider at the bottom than the top, which allows the ballast to be concentrated down low. By locating the wing aft, laminar flow is forced over the main keel section, improving its efficiency. Incidentally, it also allows for the boat to be pulled on and off a trailer much easier than if the wing was located farther forward.
A first glance at the stainless steel portlights and husky cleats and traditional styling might have you expecting the Seaward 25 to be a typical moderate-to-heavy-displacement pocket cruiser, à la the Com-Pac 25 or Pacific Seacraft Dana. Looks, however, can be deceiving. The Seaward is dramatically lighter, displacing 25 percent less than the Com-pac and 50 percent less than the Dana. In fact, with a displacement of 3,600 pounds, the Seaward 25 is only marginally heavier than a Catalina 250.
I joined Hake recently for a test sail aboard a new Seaward 25. We launched the boat in the company's Manatee Pocket testing area and sailed the wide expanse of the inland waterway near the St. Lucie Inlet. The conditions were ideal for the Seaward. It was a warm Florida spring day, the east winds were steady at 15 knots and there was a lot of shoal water around.
We hauled up the main and optional 135-percent genoa and, with a joy that only small boats provide, sailed away from the dock. While the Seaward 25 offers the ease of handling and overall lack of fuss associated with most small boats, it also has several features usually reserved for larger boats. From wheel steering to diesel power to hot and cold pressure water to the surprisingly comfortable interior, the Seaward has the feel of a larger boat. I could happily spend a few weeks aboard a Seaward 25 exploring a bit of thin turquoise water in the Bahamas.
Hake insists that quality is an abused term. "If you have stainless steel portlights does that mean you are a quality builder? Maybe, maybe not, quality must run deeper than that."
In terms of the Seaward 25, quality manifests itself in the construction process. The hull is solid fiberglass with 3/4-ounce triaxial unidirectional cloth used throughout. Stiffening is attained by the use of Coremat, a mix of microballoons, for stringers, and extensive use of molded interior liners and pans. For the most part, the deck is also solid fiberglass.
In flat areas that need stiffening, PVC foam is used for coring instead of the more common balsa. The great advantage of PVC foam coring is that it doesn't break down when exposed to moisture. Hake is determined to keep wood out of his hulls and deck. The structural hull liner is vacuum bonded to the hull for strength, although it limits access to the hull, which is the Achilles' heel of all liners. The hull and deck are joined on outward turning flanges, forming an inverted J, and bonded chemically and bolted on 6-inch centers. This down-turned joint is unlikely to leak and quite strong due to the form and the amount of joined surface area. There is a useful rubrail about a foot below the deck line.
The keel is curious in that it is molded separately from the hull out of heavily laminated biaxial glass, and then filled with ballast, which is covered over by a resin slurry for total watertightness. Two 5/8-inch stainless threaded rods are embedded into the keel. The rods act to guide the keel in place and to help secure it, but the real strength comes from an adhesive bond and layers of fiberglass that marry it to the hull.
By molding the keel, Hake is able to achieve the exact shape he wants and can keep the overall draft to acceptable limits. He insists that his keel joint is stronger than a conventional external keel and can take a hard grounding, offering as evidence the fact that it is not uncommon to beach a Seaward 25. I confess, it had no problem with a soft grounding that occurred with yours truly at the helm.
Under sail Back on deck, we began close tacking our way through the narrow mouth of the Manatee Pocket. Although I questioned the need for wheel steering in a 25-foot boat, Hake assured me that 90 percent of his clients choose the $1,800 option.
Even with the wheel and pedestal taking up a bit of space, the Seaward 25 has a great cockpit. The seat backs are nicely angled and there are lockers port and starboard. There is also a practical fuel storage locker aft. The portable 6-gallon tank can be removed for filling at a service station, thereby avoided the hassle and need to pay marina diesel prices.
While the view from the helm is more than adequate, the view from the catbird seats on the stern rail is exceptional. The mere fact that a small, light boat has a pushpit stout enough to mount seats speaks to the overall quality of the boat.
The deck is easy to navigate and I'm sure the nonskid would be functional when wet, which is not always the case. While not overly wide, the side decks are secure due to grab rails on the cabintrunk and inboard mounted shrouds. An advantage of the high freeboard forward is that it allows for molded bulwarks, which is a wonderful safety feature in a small boat. From the stout anchor roller, to the four post cleats, to the chain hawsepipe, I found the stainless hardware on deck to be impressive.
The mast, which has an air draft of 33 feet, is designed to be stepped by one person and an optional gin pole-based mast raising system helps. Unfortunately, the fractionally rigged mast was already stepped when we arrived. Hake recommends the full-batten main and as a result has developed an interesting feature on the masthead. To avoid cutting down the main roach, the backstay is led to an arm protruding aft from the mast. The result is a flat head and more sail area without needing to increase the height of the mast, which of course is designed in conjunction with the shoal draft. The entire design has been ingeniously created around those precious 25 inches of draft.
The shrouds are mounted on the trunkhouse sides, allowing for the genoa tracks to be placed well inboard. The result is tight sheeting angles for windward work. The four-part mainsheet system is a midboom arrangement (really more of a 3/4 boom), but offers plenty of purchase while still being clear of the helm. When singlehanding, Hake likes to sail the Seaward 25 with a self-tending 100-percent headsail and a boom. Our test boat was fitted with a roller-furling genoa, a nice option for the fickle breezes along the Florida coast.
Not surprisingly, the interior of the Seaward 25 is well thought out, with 5-foot, 9-inch headroom in the saloon. More headroom could be obtained by raising the trunkhouse but that would raise the center of gravity which would ... yep, you guessed it, add more draft. Starting in the bow, the forward cabin has a large V-berth, with bunks that are 7 feet long, a hanging locker and a storage shelf that might double as a desk. The saloon features a bulkhead-mounted table and settees that convert to a clever athwartships double berth.
The galley is to port and offers a large sink, an optional two-burner Origo nonpressurized alcohol stove and an icebox. Space is at a premium in a small boat, so small touches can make a big difference, like using the top of the icebox as a cutting board. A tiny quarter berth is aft of the galley, or as Hake calls it, a 1/8th berth. It's a cozy corner for a kid, or more likely, a useful storage area. The head is opposite the galley and plumbed for a shower. If buyers opt for the larger of the two Yanmar diesels, hot and cold pressure water can be added. The most striking feature of the interior is the excellent ventilation. All eight portlights open and there is a good-size hatch forward.
Although an outboard is the standard power plant, almost all Seaward 25 buyers opt for an inboard Yanmar diesel. Two choices are available: the single cylinder 1GM 10 hp, which will push the boat along at near 6 knots; or the 2GM 20 hp, which allows the Seaward 25 to skip across flat seas at close to 7 knots. The only real advantage of the larger engine is that it allows for hot water to be piped off the heat exchanger. Both engines are extremely efficient, and the 6 gallons of fuel translates into a range of well over 100 miles. Access is to the engine is actually quite good and the stuffing box is reached through the cockpit locker. The standard PYI dripless shaft seal helps reduce maintenance.
After testing out the boat's grounding capabilities and seeing how easily the 10-horsepower Yanmar extracted the boat from the sand bar, we reached the comparatively open waters of the St. Lucie River. The wind was ideal and we bolted north on a close reach. The steering was light, and the boat sailed flatter than I expected it would. Once we cleared a particularly ugly shoal, we eased the sheets and broad reached a bit before hauling everything in to tack.
The Seaward 25 came through the wind cleanly and accelerated rapidly as we hardened the sheets. The boat is easy to singlehand. All sail controls are just a reach away from the helm. Hake suggested we close the coast to give Walter, who was on the beach, a nice angle to shoot from. My instinct was to head out toward deep water, but instead we sailed close enough to read Nikon on Walter's camera. "Don't worry," Nick Hake assured me, "there's at least three feet of water around here." And of course that was more than enough; all we needed for a great sailing experience was 25 inches.
Also in Boat Test
- Beneteau First 36
- Jeanneau Yachts 55
- Seductive simplicity
- X 4.3 Pure Performance
- Beneteau Oceanis 40.1
- Sun Odyssey 380
Also from John Kretschmer
- Hove to in the gales of Biscay
- Sailing's Promise
- Passage to nowhere
- Farewell to brothers of the sea
- Plotting a course to Caribbean sabbatical cruise
- Passage Planning
- Ready to Rumble
- Good vibrations
- Launching and boarding a life raft
- The Great Circle Route: Connecting the dots of a sailing life
| Hake Yachts Seaward Seaward 25
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Designed to determine if a boat has blue water capability. The CSF compares beam with displacement since excess beam contributes to capsize and heavy displacement reduces capsize vulnerability. The boat is better suited for ocean passages (vs coastal cruising) if the result of the calculation is 2.0 or less. The lower the better.
A trailerable pocket cruiser with a plumb bow and stern, designed for exploring shallow waters and cruising in the open sea. Learn about her performance, layout, features, and history from the builder and a test sail report.
Find Seaward 25 boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of Seaward boats to choose from.
The Seaward 25 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Nick Hake a cruiser and first built in 1984. [1][2] Production. The design was built by Hake Yachts of Stuart, Florida starting in 1984, with 600 boats completed before production ended.
The Seaward is dramatically lighter, displacing 25 percent less than the Com-pac and 50 percent less than the Dana. In fact, with a displacement of 3,600 pounds, the Seaward 25 is only marginally heavier than a Catalina 250. I joined Hake recently for a test sail aboard a new Seaward 25.
The Seaward 25 is a high-end pocket cruiser with shoal draft and easy to sail rig. She has a large, deep cockpit and a comfortable cabin for weekending.
The Seaward 25 is a tough, go anywhere little ship with capabilities far bigger than her size suggests. With a strong history of commercial boat building, Seawards are renowned for their seakeeping capabilities and the 25 does not disappoint.
Seaward 25. Simon Everett takes to the choppy seas of the Solent to review a new version of a classic pilot boat with a proven formula for success – the Seaward 25 …
Seaward 25 is a 26′ 8″ / 8.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Nick Hake and built by Hake Yachts (Seaward) starting in 1984.
Seaward Seaward 25 < Return to Seaward Seaward 25 Manufacturer: Seaward Designed by: Nick Hake LOA 26.75' LWL 23' Beam 8.33' Draft (Deep) 2.08' Draft (Shoal) -- Displacement 3,600 lbs. Ballast