Initial Impressions

I built my Hawk in September 98, and have now been running it for 3 months. The hawk is very fast, stable and turns well. The completed weight of my Hawk is 7lb 4 oz. Anyone wanting a cheap Hydro who either wants to build from a kit or doesn't mind building could do a lot worse than get themselves a Hawk.

Building

The Hawk comes with a set of plans (not full size), a comprehensive set of instructions and a sheet of black and white photos of the building process. Boom's Boom clamps and turnfin where all supplied with the kit.

In the main the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Instruction 4.13 (part of the right front sponson assembly) has the sentence "Don't blend the corners of the inside edge of the RF Bottom into the non trip, keep a nice crisp stepped edge", studying the plans enabled me to see exactly what was meant by this, a friend of mine missed this during his build, though I doubt it will make much difference.

The one thing I would change if I was building the Hawk again is the way the clamp are held to the boom blocks. The blocks are drilled to accept a threaded brass insert, I found it very difficult to fit these and am still not happy with them. If I where building it again I would source some countersunk screws and drill through the boom blocks and the bottom of the tub. I would then countersink these holes from the underneath and hold the clamps in with the countersunk screws and nuts.

This was my first attempt at building a wooden model, I learnt a lot of useful bits and pieces through doing this and my other hydros are better for it.

Hardware

I used the rudder, by Tidewater engineering, I had previously had on my EON 45. I fitted the CMB 45 in a 4inch Octura mount. I purchased a strut and square drive flexi assembly from Prestwich models.

Radio Gear

I am using a Hitec HS 700 1/4 scale servo for rudder and a pair of standard servos for throttle and radio needle valve.

Finishing

I coated my hawk inside and out with two coats of a two part epoxy (Ripmax SP glazing epoxy) and painted the sponson tops yellow using a fuel proof aerosol paint (Flair spectrum gloss yellow). This gives me a light tough finish to the boat that shows the wooden construction nicely.

I fitted a Perspex cover to the radio compartment as I like to be able to check at a glance that it is free of water.

Set-up

I set my Hawk up following information on Jim's R/C Boating Page Jim also advised that I try an Octura 1460 prop.

My Hawk seems to run best with three shims under the rear boom.

Running

With just 10% nitro the CMB turns the 1460 easily and gives a fast boat that is cheap to run. I am hoping to get the engine to turn a re-curved 1457, from one of MWD's prop duplicators, but I think I will need to up the nitro content to do this as the engine will not rev out with this prop even after lengthening the pipe.

Having seen the difference using one of Martys re-curved props made to a friends road runner, he was using 60% nitro, I am convinced that I could see another 10 -15 mph out of the Hawk.

I have managed to break two sets of booms, both times where due to the Hawk jumping from the water, once twisting as it did so and brushing the bank and the second with the front right sponson digging in and twisting on landing .The booms are made of carbon fibre wrapped around thin walled aluminium tube. The booms are very light and stiff but are not as robust as the aluminium items on my Roadrunner and Eagle. Since putting the third shim under the rear boom and increasing the angle of the strut a little the Hawk has been much more stable on the water and I hope the Booms will last much better now.

Conclusion

I don't think it's quite in the same class as a Roadrunner or Eagle but its not far short and a lot cheaper, and even if I replaced the Hawk tomorrow with a Roadrunner Ultalight of Eagle SG I would still think it had been worth building and running. The money saved by staying with the Hawk may well pay for a lot of 60% fuel, the Hawk then should be very close to the Eagles and Roadrunners.

If you have never built a wooden model and fancy a cheap fast hydro then I couldn't recommend the Hawk too highly.

Email Brian