Any info on Blackhawk Fishhawk?

Especially how it compares with a Blackhawk Zephyr.



Fishhawk specs?





Thanks.

Fish Hawk and Zephyr
The Fish Hawk was the Bob Brown designed NightHawk, except it had a cane seat rather than the nighthawk’s sugarloaf pedestal. Symmetrical and roughly 13’4" by 29 in wide with no rocker. Trim was pine id memory serves; a nice, price pointed, entry or second level solo for learning paddlers.



Zephyr was a fish form boat that Phil Sigglekow designed; ~ 14’2" by ~29". It had differential rocker, was available in glass or kevlar and optioned that neat double adjustable seat. Wood was often maple, and high gloss float tanks and decks were molded separately, fitted and bonded in. Zephyr was a much higher quality boat, in both design and construction than the Hawk series.



I haven’t bothered to look up specs because I’m late for grandfather’s volleyball-

Somewhat like a shorter MR Slipper?
I own a Carbonlite 2000 construction Mad River Slipper and IIRC, it was also designed by Bob Brown.



Your description of the Fishhawk somewhat resembles my perception of the Slipper.



Grandfather’s volleyball?

Slipper and volleyball

– Last Updated: Mar-05-08 11:23 PM EST –

Yeah, but Slipper was 14.75 long and a much older design.

A bunch of us get together at the Olympic Training Center here in Lake Placid and play volleyball on Weds. nights 7-9. Then we adjourn to the Lake Placid Brewery to "retoxify". Not a bad evening, but some of us are aging.

darn it
I thought I had my mystery blackhawk pinned down to a nighthawk. But it seems closer to this description: wicker seat, looks to be symmetrical, no rocker - but it only measures 13’ on the nose.



Could this possibly be a Fishhawk?

Handling characteristics?
Specs such as depth?





Thanks

No other Fishhawk / Nighthawk 13 info?
Specs?



Handling characteristics?

Blackhawks

– Last Updated: Mar-08-08 12:26 PM EST –

Fishhawk: Fiberglass cloth
Length:13'3"
Width: gunwale 27"
Width: waterline 25"
Depth: Bow 15"
Center 11 1/2"
Stern 14"
Weight: 38 lb.
Cost: $649.00

Nighthawk: Kevlar
Length: 13'3"
Width: gunwale 27"
waterline 24 7/8"
Depth: Bow 15 1/4"
Center 11 1/2"
Stern 14 1/2"
Weight:35 lb.
Cost: $989.00

Nighthawk: Proprietary Layup
Length: 13'3"
Width: gunwale 27"
Waterline 24 1/2"
Depth: Bow 15 1/4
Center 11 1/2"
Stern 14 1/2"
Weight: 39 lb.
Cost: $699.00

The fiberglass laminate is a proprietary laminate using all cloth (both S & E) of
various weights and weaves with aircraft quality resins. Kevlar laminates are all Kevlar with an "S" glass sheeting.

All weights & prices include pedestals except Fishhawk which is cane seat.

Source: December l987 Canoe Magazine Buyer's Guide
You will find varied spec. & price changes in different years.
Got any problems with the specs; contact them.

BOB

P.S. They are all garbage scows. Contact me & I will assist you in getting rid of them; so you won't have to be embarassed owing one. Trust me.








Thanks for that info, Bob.
I’m considering trading my Zephyr for a Fishhawk that’s had the pedestal seat replaced with a web seat.



The guy says that the Fishhawk is good paddled from the sitting position and I do prefer sitting most of the time. I’d really like to test paddle the Fishhawk before agreeing to a trade.



The Zephyr does prefer kneeling paddlers and I don’t kneel that well.

Anyone sit & paddle a Fishhawk /
Nighthawk 13 (with cane seat)?



If I were to trade for the Fishhawk with the cane seat, I’d be paddling from the sitting position and there may not be opportunity to test paddle before agreeing to the trade, since we don’t live very close to each other.



I’m 5’6" and 155 lbs.



Thanks.

Fishawk
It was a kneeling boat?

That’s what I’m trying to determine.
This particular boat came with a pedestal and the owner replaced the pedestal with a web seat.



He says that it’s good for sitting, but he’s the only paddler so far that’s said whether they sit or kneel in the Fishhawk / Nighthawk 13.

I have…

– Last Updated: Mar-20-08 12:25 AM EST –

I have a Nighthawk with what I believe to be a Pat Moore pedestal, which is permanently attached to the hull.
I kneel.

It is a little tender to get into & get comfortable; but after you do..........
It has quite good secondary stability.
It tracks quite well for such a short canoe.
It a fun boat to "play around" with.
Pick it up & put it on one shoulder & walk off with it.
I'm 6'4", and weigh approx. 200 lbs.

Put a friend with very little solo canoe experience into it, and he had few problems after he got past it's lack of initial stability.
He's a 200 pounder too.

I won't be turning loose of mine in the forseeable future.

BOB

NightHawk, Fish Hawk and conversions
NightHawk came with BlackHawk’s “sugarloaf” pedestal. Some were optioned with a screw down dry compartment.



Pat Moore pedestals whether in Proem/Covenant or Reverie series were much more complex in shape, always had a hatch cover dry storage compartment and always has option for trim adjustment. The P/C pedestals dogged to twin tracks that were laminated into the hull. The Reverie series came w/ velcro adjustment. The top end Reverie pedestals had adjustable saddles but were rare.



So, while a NightHawk could have a PM ped, most easily a Reverie with velcro stripped off and then bonded i place, that would be a strange combination - the pedestal costing more than the hull.



Fishhawk had a cane seat and the hulls sidewalls were reinforced to support hanging the seat from the rails.



Converting a NightHawk, with pedestal transferring paddler weight to the bottom of the boat to a FishHawk with the sidewalls supporting that weight is not just a matter of hogging the pedestal out and dropping in a cane seat. Unless the paddler is very light, the hull may well break.

I lowered the seat but still kneel in it
The original seat was really high. The spacers on the rear were essentially wedges and the front was about an inch long. My wife thought it was too tender and I tended to agree. With it up that high sitting was dicey at best.



I doubled the length of the spacers and lowered about an inch. My wife will occasionally sit, but mostly kneels or will kneel with one knee and alternate.



All around a nice paddle. I enjoy when my wife lets me paddle it.



We got one for my wife a few years ago and ended up replacing all the wood. I thought it was a nighthawk, but since it has a seat I reckon it must be a fishhawk.



In comparison to a Zephyr: the Zeph has less initial stability. At 6’1"/200lbs if I wasn’t paying attention, especially when not moving, the boat was squirmy. The Zeph has better acceleration. They both track about as well, and turn well when heeled. The Zeph might respond to a heel better though.

Hey CE…
You may be right…



Your description of the Blackhawk “sugarloaf” pedestal sounds like what I have in my Nighthawk.

It is permanently bonded to the hull.



I have a spare, brand new/never used, saddle which has a watertight storage compartment, which I believe to be a Pat Moore saddle. It has 2 Velcro strips attached to the bottom/outside edges of the saddle & also has Velcro strips to attach to the hull.



I am going to send you a few photos.

Would you please help me identify what I have…



Thanks,

BOB