Page updated: 7 December 2009
Reed Nibbler (#123)
When this photograph was taken in 2004 she was moored immediately ahead of another non-white SeaHawk. "Sapphire" had a blue hull and Reed Nibbler blue superstructure. Reed Nibbler, however, goes further than most in the avoid white game as her sails are tan with white SeaHawk emblem and a white #123.
Notable about this boat is that her mast has no tabernacle,
relatively unusual on a Broads-based boat. Instead the mast is
mounted on a large wooden block. Perhaps a replacement mast has been
fitted and the block enables differently positioned bolts to be
fitted without weakening the cabin roof. In general the cabin roof
of a SeaHawk is exceptionally strong. The ridge on the cabin top
where the mast is mounted provides strength in this area and the
further angled ridges on the cabin roof provide an excellent
foothold, especially if those ridges have a non-slip surface added.
The cockpit reveals most of the expected features of an early example of a SeaHawk: cabin mounted jib sheet cleats; three-point anchorage for the main sheet and large rectangular open lockers in the cockpit.
The most striking thing about the cockpit is the much higher than standard guard rails. Why the original owner requested this change to the standard specification is not known. One can understand the need for the additional foam insulation on the rails. They must be a little intrusive when working windward.
Assisted by her outboard motor, Reed Nibbler is seen here a couple of hundred yards from her mooring. Her jib is set much higher than is normal indicating that she is carrying the reduced size sails, (The standard length from sail tack to tack point is 9" (23cm) as can be seen on Angela). The reduced sails do improve forward visibility and in narrow reed-lined Broadland channels probably has little impact on performance!