Jim Brown of Searunner Trimarans

[cagney]

Originally Posted by sandy daugherty

Is there an epilogue?

Yes, unfortunately Mark Hassal died December 10, 2007 of natural causes in Guatemala. He was seventy five.
See Multihulls Magazine March/April 2008.

Mark completed a nine year circumnavigation i THAT. He lived his dream.
I had the fortune of meeting Mark and That in Kosrae about 1992.
That had been hit by lightning and limped in to harbor. When I met Mark all the repairs were done and he was topping up his cruising kitty by working as a vocational teacher in woodcrafts.
Mark showed me around his impressive trimaran, and I had the full story.
He was a great guy.

[Rann]

Sandy, (and others who want to read Mark Hassall's six-part writing about THAT):

go here:

How THAT Came About - Index

Thanks to Maya Paradise for preserving and publishing this incredible true tale on the web!

I read it years ago in Multihulls Magazine and was enthralled by the story. I once read Love for Sail by Mark. It is out of publication as are the Searunner Builders' Manual and Jim Brown's The Case for the Cruising Trimaran, but they can sometimes be found used online. All are great reading for this series of early modern tris.

Rann
Searunner 34 ETAK
(in the process of a full refurbish)

[Steve Rust]

Love For Sail by Mark Hassall as been reprinted in paperback in 2007. Available at Love for Sail : Mark Hassall : ISBN 9781589762015 - Buy.com

[Rann]

Steve,

Thanks for that update. I will order myself a copy soon.

Rann
ETAK, Searunner 34

[DaveM]

We were On MAXOLAR in Guatamala at New year 07, and I was lucky to be shown round 'THAT' last year, where it is lying up the RIO, on the Port side on docks just under the bridge.

A MASSIVE boat outside and inside, but now needing some real good tender care. A credit to Jim and to Mark to design and then build in such primitive surroundings. I had read Marks (or is it Marc?) original writing in Multihulls, and I recognised the tri immediately I saw it there tied up to the dock. As I said, a priviledge to look her over. I have a copy of his writing, which was put together by his daughter I believe.

DaveM

[md7a]

Anyone know who owns/ran the Searunner website that gets occasionally mentioned on this and other threads?

Have to admit I daydream about reviving it, and the idea of a wiki sounds pretty neat.

[xxuxx]

Wow.....after reading Hassal's account, I am planning to return to a purer way of living.....Nicaragua. What impressed me most of his account, was the way of life of the central American people. I came to know this life of little money, day to day simple pleasures, where little things we take for granted become special events. I own an old mango plantation where my adopted Nicaraguan family now lives. I am only 4 miles from the ocean and one day plan to sail back. For now, I am driving there; through the Mexican drug wars, through many tedious border crossings, but in the end, it will be worth it. A place where English is not spoken, and harvesting mangos and coconuts and limes is a way of life. Cruisers will always be welcome for pure but simple foods.

[CSK Cat]

What a great story . I started building my first Sea Runner in 1972 in the Santa Cruz mountains and finished it in 1975 then built a bigger one that I finished in 1981. I had bought the plans from John Marples and Tom Freeman when they had Almar Marine in the SC boat yard on 7th Ave. There were a lot of us building tris and some cats back then. Reading Marks book Love for Sail is what we all dremt about when we finished our boats. All I can say is what a BIG job building THAT was , pretty amazing. I still have my Sea Runner Construction Manual. Sea Runners are great sailing boats.

[Rann]

Will S,

Your question about the old Searunner website, who owns it? If you go there and scroll through the owners' list to Rattle & Hum, a Searunner 37, you will find the builder and owner of that boat is Bob Wilson. He put the site together but nothing has happened since December of 05 as far as I know. I had phone contact with Bob once in '06, but none since. You might try writing him if you are interested in updating the site or taking it over. Somebody should if Bob can't or does not want to anymore.

Rann
ETAK Searunner 34 #15

[ColdFusion]

I've just been googling "Mark Hassall" after reading How "THAT" Came About and this old CF thread came up in the search results. I feel quite sad to read here that Mark died in December 2007. What a truly amazing man he was and what an amazing story. If anyone hasn't yet read it I thoroughly recommend it.

R.I.P. Mark.

[Maren]

Yeah, that gets linked to about once every six or so months. It's a good story in a lot of ways.

[sethkerlin]

After reading this thread I feel compelled to add the following:

1) Mark's life was remarkable, unquestionably so, but it was the literary skill of my mother, Ann Thomas, who is an excellent writer, that made "How That Came About" as absorbing a read as it is. Mark did not write it, as inferred in an earlier post.

2) I lived with Mark for about a year and a half. I was sailing with him, in fact, when we were hit by lightning about 60 miles outside of Kosrae. It knocked me out- literally. Biggest damn explosion I ever heard and we were lucky to survive. I mention these things to establish credibility and establish setting for my third point which is...

3) It disturbs me when Mark Hassall is held up as an idol of sorts. He was, by turns, alcoholic, violent, depressed, self-destructive, and something of a misogynist. He left behind him a string of broken marriages and women- my mother amongst them- and used cruising as a means to run from his demons and also feed his not insignificant ego.
I truly came to love the man (despite these things) and found him charming at times, and it is not my intent that he be vilified- but he put tremendous pressure on my mother to write HIS story and when her presence was no longer convenient (this after a few affairs- he and my mother were married) she was driven out. I respect the multihull community and love the cruising ethos/lifestyle, but whatever Mark Hassall may have been he was not a role model.
And perhaps that shouldn't matter because the things people love him for has little to do with him personally and more to do with a public image he fostered and desired, and certainly Love For Sail or my mother's work should not be disdained on account of my experiences or feelings, but nonetheless I felt compelled to share my experience and perhaps that is more for my sake than anything else. I mean no offense or disrespect, but the fact is that Mark Hassall was not a kind man, nor was he prone to self-sacrifice or even self-reflection, traits which I believe are essential for a man to be worthy of admiration.

Mark Hassall I do miss you. I hope you are resting well and that your demons are gone forever.

your friend, if not admirer,

seth

[sethkerlin]

On a much more mundane note I happen to have the Searunner Construction Manual (1971) and also a book that is just called Searunner Trimarans (1973) that has the 25, 31, 37, and 40, but not the 34 in it. The latter is just an overview of the designs but is well written with the usual Jim Brown anecdotes sprinkled through. These are well worn and used books (they were Mark's of course) and I love them but it seems somehow wrong for a landlubber like myself who will never lift a hammer to own these treasures. I am sure Mark would rather that someone who will use them (or at the very least read them whilst cruising) should have them.
They are not for sail (little joke) but if you send me a note explaining why you are a searunner devotee and would not take lightly these possessions then I would be happy to send them to you for free.

regards,
seth

[xxuxx]

As someone who is going through a similar experience in Nicaragua, I was wondering how old you were when you where with Mark? Where you in Guatemala? Where are you now? I know because of the threads there are a few who would really treasure, but more importantly use your books.
I found it truly interesting to read your perspective. Thanks for the words.

[kowerchukb]

Seth,

I'm very interested in the Searunner manuals that you have generously offered. I'm sure there may be more deserving ones, but I'd be happy to state my case. However, when I look at your profile, I do not see any contact info. If the manuals have still not found a good home, would you mind clicking on my name to go to my profile where you use the contact info to send me a personal email?

Thank you in advance!
Bradk