Bay Hawk Canoe Plans

The Bay Hawk Canoe Plans  are designed for a solo paddler.  At just under 16 ft.  this canoe will take you out for a day or a week.

Building the Bay Hawk is likely an experience that you will not soon forget; paddling her is an experience that you will never forget.  This boat is fast, tracks well and doesn't mind a little chop.  It is well suited for lakes or protected bays.  The sleek hull lines with a darted entry, protruding outer stems and lack of rocker makes this boat want to go forward in a hurry.  Unlike a traditional open canoe (such as Companion), this boat was designed to use a double paddle or kayak paddle (similar to Little Rob) to propel it forward.  The paddler sits on a cushion right on the bottom of the boat, giving the boat a low center of gravity and the paddler a high degree of confidence. 

 If you love the idea of kayaking but hate the idea of being trapped like a cork in a bottle, then this is the boat for you.  You can paddle side by side with someone in a kayak  but still have the ability to get up on your knees for a stretch now and then.  Because there is a water tight bulkhead both fore and aft in this boat it is capable of what is known as a roll in recovery.  I have personally tried to sink this boat without success.  If built properly, the flotation provided by the fore and aft compartments will keep the shear line of the boat above the water even if capsized.  If you happen to tip over, you can simply tip the boat on its side and roll back into it.  If you are going to try to learn this move, be sure to master it in water you can stand in.

The added details like the gunwale caps, curved deck lines, large deck hatches and storage compartments in this boat are simply not seen anymore in the production boats.  Most of these details went away when mass production and profit became more important than craftsmanship.  I can remember a couple of years ago when I brought the prototype of this boat to the lake for a spin.  In almost no time at all, I was surrounded by other boaters, getting waves from the shore and watching traffic slow down as people tried to get a peek at this amazing and unique boat.  This boat is just under 16 feet long and made for a solo paddler.  If you are thinking about building the Bay Hawk, you will not be sorry.

We strongly recommend that you purchase the streaming video with the plans. However, we realize that for some of you this may not be your first time building a strip boat and have given you the option.