# Need Opinions on Bay Hawk Boats



## Redstalker (Jul 4, 2004)

I may be looking at an older Bay Hawk for sale later this week.
I see them all over and am just curious as to how they hold up. If you have owned one before or have been in one please let me know what you think.


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## teke (Jun 19, 2006)

I briefly owned a 1987 20' Bayhawk. The were a value boat when they were manufactured and after alot of research and inspection, I found that there use of materials and construction left alot to be desired. The floor on mine (from the original sales brochure) was made of non-marine plywood and the underside was not glassed. The floor had numerous soft spots and was in dire need of replacement. The transom had already been replaced prior to me purchasing the boat. In addition when I removed the original carpet covering bare fiberglass, I found that the fiberglass on the casting deck was dry and never cured over the wood. 


Now you can find them cheap and these types of repairs are not that expensive nor difficult if you are looking for a project. The boat itself had a hydraulic jackplate and a tunnel, it fished very shallow and overall performed well for the original owner (a friend of mine who I bought it from). It gave him many happy years of bay and nearshore fishing (19 years) all around galveston. When the floor became soft he let it go and sold it to me as a project. So if you find own that has been redone or has a solid floor and transom, it will fish well for you, and probably won't cost that much. Good luck.


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## Redstalker (Jul 4, 2004)

Thanks for the info Teke. If this one isn't in really good shape I think I might pass on it.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Pass, there are much better boats out there for sale, like bluewaves and lots of them.
The problem with most used saltwater boats is people dont know what a water hose is.


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## Laguna Freak (Nov 15, 2006)

*Patience*



Redfishr said:


> Pass, there are much better boats out there for sale, like bluewaves and lots of them.
> The problem with most used saltwater boats is people dont know what a water hose is.


Redfishr, patience is a virtue, especially when buying a depreciating or depreciated asset. Try to buy from a friend, neighbor, or aquaintance of a friend whose judgement you trust. But, never buy from a friend, especially not a used boat.

After shopping for a few years (because I refuse to buy a new depreciating asset), last spring I bought a '95 Shoalwater Laguna 20 with a '99 Evinrude 175 FICHT from the neighbor of a business associate whose judgement I trust. All of the details make a long story but suffice it to say, I am quite pleased.

Try to buy from a mature previous owner. MY previous owner was mature and used to run from his house on SPI and then wade so the '99 Evinrude had less than 150 hours on the engine when I bought. Oh yeah, I got my rig for $8,800.00.

Don't get me wrong, the boat/motor weren't perfect and I needed to buy a manual for the engine to make it run like new but with a little extra effort and very few extra dollars it is good as new.

Patience my friend!


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## Laguna Freak (Nov 15, 2006)

sorry above post was meant to be addressed to RedStalker.


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## big O (Mar 8, 2007)

I I owned a 89 Bayhawk with a Evinrude 120. The carpet had alot of soft spots. The center console was drilled to the floor, therefore the screws would continue to turn and would not tighten. Batteries were placed up front for the trolling motor,which caused them to go out faster. There are better made boats out there but if you want a project boat then go ahead. Most bay boats have the console glassed into the boat.


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## Redstalker (Jul 4, 2004)

I appreciate all the good info!!


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## MilosMaster (Aug 18, 2005)

If it is the model where the bow is angled slightly down, I would pass just for saftey reasons. I have been in rough conditions twice on one of those and taken waves over the bow. With the downward facing bow is lets ALOT of water in before it comes back up. The design is definitley NOT SAFE. 

The quality of construction was also suspect, as mentioned above there are plenty of other used boats out there that are safer and of better quality. Bayhawk would actually be the absolute last boat I would ever buy. JMHO


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## SSMike (Aug 15, 2005)

Bay Hawk.....Wet Hawk. Pass on it. I fished out of one last summer and it was pretty bad.


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## Wedge (Apr 29, 2005)

I bought one for 1450 with a 70 evinrude on it. Motor ran like a top and the galvanized Sportsman trailer was in great shape. Transom was soft and it had soft spots in the floors. It was paid for and I caught more fish in it than I have any other boat I have ever had. I was sitting in the bay one day by a 40k Whaler with a 200 H.P. engine and I was catching fish and they were not. They did look good though. I raised my kids in this boat and I will never forget it. I sold it for 1000 dollars three years later and told the new owner he was buying a motor and trailer and that the hull cme with the package for free.......Go figure.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Just FYI - if it is the recent Bayhawk post on 2cool classifieds entered in my name, the boat has been taken very good care of. It also has had its floor redone in the last 2 years...I beleive this one is a bargain - I would still recommend a compression test on the motor (not that I know anything about the motor - just good to do on any used outboard)...

tpool


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## enielsen (Dec 27, 2004)

I have a 1996 18.5 tunnel with a 125 hp. Runs very shallow because it does not weigh much but must be the roughest riding boat ever made once the wind picks up and there is a chop on the bay. It has been paid for for many years and is in great shape probably because it sleeps indoors. If new boats were not so ridiculously priced I would probably get a new boat. If I had to do it again I would not buy another Bay Hawk. As said before there are too many other good deals out there on better, drier, smoother running boats.


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## cat. (Nov 27, 2006)

with it being payed for,i bet the ride isn't so bad huh?lol and with it being so clean why buy another boat? can't wait till my shoalwater is payed up.


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## Reel Lucky (Apr 4, 2005)

*Bayhawk*

I had a '95 204 ST Bayhawk. I really liked the boat. It was great for shallow water and drifting. It was wet and a rough ride, but I still really enjoyed it overall. I now have a 22 V Pathfinder. It's a better built boat and takes the rough water better, but I still really enjoyed fishing out of the Bayhawk. I would not just X it from your list. Check it out.


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