Hi
My name is Trevor Davidson a friend of Ossie Whittley the well known boat designer/ builder now retired who started this society about 5 years ago. I am putting this blog together in order to continue the preservation of local marine history and make available space on this blog for your items of interest, photos, drawings, writing etc.
I will post as much material as I have and can collect from all sources, if you would like to contribute anything relevant please email me maritimehistory@email.com

Copies of any Photos available on request

The aims of the Society

The Maritime History Preservation Society of East Victoria

The Maritime History Preservation Society of East Victoria was established to preserve the maritime history of the Gippsland and East Bass Strait islands and Mornington Peninsula.

The functions of the society consist of, but are not limited to :

Gathering information and memorabilia

To display material such as old boats, replicas or models, old fishing gear, fishing methods, coastal trading boats, etc.

To make the above material available for exhibition.

The society also acts as a central point to pool the above information and memorabilia, and assists in the gathering of exhibits, volunteers, and venues for shows.

The vastness of the area covered and the fact that the above information is still available through thee older generation, although rapidly drying out, made the establishment of the Society imperative.

The Society is open to any individual or group for membership.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Ken's letter detailing history.



Dear Ossie

Thank you so very much for taking Sea Hawks lines. I had leveled the boat before you took the lines, however she had moved a little. I’ve leveled shortly after your measurements and recorded that she was 1 cm higher to starboard than on the port side.
Arlmond (a Melbourne boat builder) considers that when launched Seahawk may have been completely open. According to the Cullivers who were the second owners in 1923 she had a half cabin only, with redgum slat seats right around the cockpit. This half cabin had the two port holes one on each side. I described this to Tim Phillips many years ago. Some time ago he restored a Jones boat to as close as we know Seahawk was originally. However he considers the keel had straightened somewhat and his restoration gave the keel of “  ?   “ more curve. This craft “ ? “ a member of the Portsea Couta Boat Club is a few feet shorter than Sea Hawk.
Recently talking to our local boat builder Geoff Lipscomb he told me of a half cabin matching the size of Sea Hawks half cabin that sat behind a house near the waterfront at Port Albert for some years. It had four bolts holding it to the combing. And we considered that it was fitted on for ocean work inside the entrance. This is quite likely and I am trying to find out the facts.

Harry Broche owned Sea Hawk for a few years before 1950. He did professional fishing and some lighthouse runs and other interesting projects? My father purchased her from Harry in 1950, and Ted Broche completed a restoration building the present two stage cabin.

I have recorded every bit of history from 1920cwhen she was built up the Maribynong river by Jones. It is extensive including my father’s logs and my own. I will soon incorporate it into the third edition of my book “Bass Straight Memories”. As you requested following is the brief history.-

Sea Hawk was built up the Maribynong River in 920 by John Jones (a Swedish boat builder). She was built for a partnership to take parties out from Sorrento pier. The partnership didn’t continue. She was taken over by the Cullivers, Harry, Joe and Sandy for recreation at first. A taller mast was stepped and the lugsail rig was changed to gaff.

The Culliver boys decided to go professional fishing which continued until the depression. At that time they decide to use a smaller boat and Sea Hawk on logs was rolled up the beach at Rye. She was found there by Dick Avery and Harry Shiels of Port Albert in 1939. They persuaded a wealthy furniture merchant of Melbourne Andrewather to finance them for shark fishing out of Port Albert. On the trip around they replaced the petrol/kero Fordson engine with a McCormack Deering at San Remo and new shaft and propeller were fitted also.
They hit a gale off Cape Liptrap and the red sails were blown out.
At Port Albert Dick Avery and Harry Shiels used Sea Hawk for shark fishing from 1939 until approximately 1945. They considered extending her stern but were persuaded to buy a larger boat “Sea Fairer”.

Harry Broche then took over Sea Hawk, he did some lighthouse runs and some professional fishing.

Around 1948 she was transported to Ted Broche’s boat yard. Restoration took place with re ribbing.
And when the ribbing was finished my father Charley Davidson bought the boat from Harry in 1950. Ted Broche then completed the work and built the two level cabin.

She was re launched in 1951 and used by Charley, family and friends for recreation and some parties. Elder son Geoff sailed her while younger son Ken was in New Zealand. On Ken’s return they sailed together. Geoff left to reside in Canberra and Ken sails her today.

Sea Hawk, up on her low loader now has her deck replaced again and cabin re clad. She will be re launched again in two weeks for the 2008/9 fishing and sailing season.
Enclosed are some sketches and photos that should help with your models.

Cheers
Ken Davidson
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