Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[smj]

I personally wish you well on your new Tartan, great boats.
No, 6 months of cruising on a trimaran is no way long enough to make the assumption that multihulls suck. In my opinion its not long enough to form an educated opinion on the Searunner.
I realize you used the heading Why Multihulls Suck as clickbait, which I assume is a tactic to get people to check out your video which I’m sure ads a few pennies to your pocket per click. Can i get a refund?
As i said, i wish you well on your sailing endeavors and hope the $’s you try to make from YouTube don t cloud the enjoyment you should be having.

[Training Wheels]

^^^ This, which is why I did not watch the troll video.

[Buzzman]

My conclusion from watching the video reflects what others have said. They mistakenly bought the wrong boat to try out and, as the female co-captain said on several occasions, she 'didn't get it'.

If the gear is too big (ie the weight of the sails) then get bigger winches. If the anchor is too heavy to haul up, get an electric winch.

Ummm... even the male co-captain admits they should have got the boat surveyed before they bought it. I mean, the hole in the wing that was 'an extra toilet' was still there *after* they'd owned and sailed the boat for six months. So not only was the boat *full of holes* but they clearly didn't bother fixing them, either.

As to the charge that multis are no faster - well, maybe if you sail them like a mono. Maybe if the sails are old and out of shape. Maybe if the boat itself was not well built or maintained. Maybe the boat was overloaded (which is asy enough to do on a multihull). Lots of maybes.

Bottom line is, they bought the wrong boat. Had they bought a better multihull - say a modern cat - their experience might have been totally different.

My gut feeling is *she* didn't like it from the get go and, therefore, subconsciously, did everything possible to undermine the boat therafter.

She said it didn't make her feel secure. That is a psychological issue - a failing if you like - on her part, no fault of the boat.

SeaRunners are inherently 'safe', winessed by their zillions of miles with few incidents.

One 'unhappy camper' does not a disaster make.

They should be apologising to the SeaRunner community for bringing the brand into disrepute!

[Randy]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

My conclusion from watching the video reflects what others have said. They mistakenly bought the wrong boat to try out and, as the female co-captain said on several occasions, she 'didn't get it'.

If the gear is too big (ie the weight of the sails) then get bigger winches. If the anchor is too heavy to haul up, get an electric winch.

Ummm... even the male co-captain admits they should have got the boat surveyed before they bought it. I mean, the hole in the wing that was 'an extra toilet' was still there *after* they'd owned and sailed the boat for six months. So not only was the boat *full of holes* but they clearly didn't bother fixing them, either.

As to the charge that multis are no faster - well, maybe if you sail them like a mono. Maybe if the sails are old and out of shape. Maybe if the boat itself was not well built or maintained. Maybe the boat was overloaded (which is asy enough to do on a multihull). Lots of maybes.

Bottom line is, they bought the wrong boat. Had they bought a better multihull - say a modern cat - their experience might have been totally different.

My gut feeling is *she* didn't like it from the get go and, therefore, subconsciously, did everything possible to undermine the boat therafter.

She said it didn't make her feel secure. That is a psychological issue - a failing if you like - on her part, no fault of the boat.

SeaRunners are inherently 'safe', winessed by their zillions of miles with few incidents.

One 'unhappy camper' does not a disaster make.

They should be apologising to the SeaRunner community for bringing the brand into disrepute!

Exactly. They were blaming the boat for their own shortcomings and didn't take the time to learn what a tri is. They insisted on sailing undercanvassed but couldn't figure out why they couldn't make any speed from what I saw.

[Tusitala]

Ouch! getting a little tense in here.... I sail a Searunner, don't feel like I'm owed an apololgy because they bought one and didn't like it. there's plenty of cool boats to choose from out there. I do some deliveries and get to spend time on plenty of boats I don't care for that are their owners dream. No big deal, and I get some experience I might not otherwise. And yeah, ply boats do require quite a bit of maintenance. Sometimes when working on older boats you start cutting on a small patch and the more you cut the more you have too! fortunately cutting and fitting plywood, especially with epoxy, is pretty easy.

I still say 6 months living/cruising/sailing a Tri doesn't make you a multihull sailor...

Pat

[Captryan23]

Originally Posted by Tusitala

Ouch! getting a little tense in here.... I sail a Searunner, don't feel like I'm owed an apololgy because they bought one and didn't like it. there's plenty of cool boats to choose from out there. I do some deliveries and get to spend time on plenty of boats I don't care for that are their owners dream. No big deal, and I get some experience I might not otherwise. And yeah, ply boats do require quite a bit of maintenance. Sometimes when working on older boats you start cutting on a small patch and the more you cut the more you have too! fortunately cutting and fitting plywood, especially with epoxy, is pretty easy.



I still say 6 months living/cruising/sailing a Tri doesn't make you a multihull sailor...



Pat

I really don’t want to promote watching more videos from this couple, but you may want to watch “Sailboat Fail: Sinking Trimaran - Ep. 28.” I think that will address their credibility. However, I do appreciate their spirit and guts to take on a big challenge.

[rossad]

Hey if you buy a boat you don't have to like it. You don't have to complain about it either. Just sell. Get on with your life. What is your real point here. Are you a vindictive type gotta get something off your chest that's made you angry. Searunners are tri's that have lots of imperfections just like every other boat. Its called compromise. Its a pity somebody actually would go ahead and make such a video.. of which I didn't watch ... its stupid and that's probably why your unhappy. Foolish people think foolish thoughts.

[longjonsilver]

i just finished watching all the videos from when they bot the boat to their multihull rant when they wanted to sell her in SF. i watched every video because all the footage of the boat underway helps me to understand the motion of a trimaran at sea. The difficulty of sleeping in such a motion has me concerned, as are the allegations of the "flushing the toilet" noise while underway.

i have to say that their videos are very well done, low budget, yes!, but very creative and entertaining. At times they show flashes of brillance in vloggraphy. And as someone said, you have to admire their pluck to undertake such an endeavour, buying a sailboat, doing so many repairs, and setting off down the Pacific Coast without a good diesel.

i wish both the Litzenbergers well with the new boat, a plastic classic, and i'm sure that you will find her to be a good sound design capable of going to windward. A boat is like a marriage. You have to find the one for you. But unlike a marriage, a boat divorce can be a very good thing.
blessings on your new endeavour
jon

[Tusitala]

Hey LongJohn,

I've never noticed any issues with sleeping while underway in the wing bunks on most trimarans, at least the ones with decent wing clearance. A few of the tri's I've done passages on didn't have wings, so the bunks were more conventionally located. no real issues there either, unless they're so far fwd it's like a V berth in a monohull, then the motion is pretty excessive. Bunks in most catamarans are in the bridgedeck. again, if there's reasonable bridgedeck clearance no issues. if there's not enough clearance the slamming can be problematic. not having watched all the videos I'm not sure what the toilet bowl flushing noise underway is. all boats make noise moving through the water.

Pat

[Buzzman]

OK. I just watched several more of their vids and, while I still hate them with a passion (they are out there doing it, and I'm stuck here on a keyboard) I retract what I said about their competence levels and whatever.
They have obviously done some sort of research and planning and have somre clue about what they're in for - witness their pre-disaster placement of leak plugs adjacent to all the thru hulls.
So although they didn't properly check the water-tightness of the transducer box in the first place, at least they had the remedy to hand and were able to easily prevent a major disaster.
And as Spence said, no-one bails faster than a terrified man!
I'm sorry the 'multihull experience' didn't work for them. I'm yet to try it myself so, for all I know, I'll be in the same boat. Or not, as the case may be.
Millenial Falcon. Had to laugh. Cute. At least they are untypical millenials. Out there, doing stuff, like repairing boats and - O.M.G - actually sailing.

Everyone seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLpE1Pa8vvI

[slowbat]

(Not my boat in the photo)
I think they gave it a good try! Leaving Washington and heading south in September is not the easiest passage.

I grew up on Trimarans and love them- moved onto my 1966 Piver when I was 19yo in the late 80’s. I have gone through a few more tri's over the years & spent more than one third of every time I have slept in my life aboard a trimaran. Over the last five I restored my current Searunner in the backyard. The 25’ I have is too uncomfortable for ocean crossing – although I think the boat could do it. My plan is to stash the Searunner in a barn (for when I return) and take off cruising (3-4 years out) in a mono for several same reasons listed (minus the speed part) by the Litzenburgers.

When this boat came up for sale in Everett WA I contacted the owner as the price was so low (I could see changing my plans from a mono to the SR37’) and I followed the build of Rattle & Hum. He told me a young couple from AK just went into contract on it. I had a nice conversation with him and asked if they know what the $%#^% they were getting into? I asked if he would pass my information onto them in case they decided it was not for them. Next time I saw the boat @ anchor in PT WA for the wooden boat festival and she looked really good.

A few months later Breena reached out to me to inform me they were going to list the boat. As the boat was now in the water and 900 miles away, I did not feel I was in a good place to re-fit and re-power for a major expedition.

I feel Spencer and Breena did some nice work on the boat. I wish them all the luck in the future and feel exceedingly jealous as they are doing it.

I had drinks with Jim Brown and Jo Hudson (RIP) a few years back when someone was headed down to save Scrimshaw. Jim told me “it takes a special person to own and really maintain a Searunner” - it is true. The next person that owns her will be interviewed and not just show up with a checkbook.

Know what you are getting into!
-Dan
v-V-v

[snort]

I was surprised to see the MF (Millenial Falcon) at the Napa Valley Marina the other day.
It looks to be in good shape, but the cord holding the nets to the hulls definitely needs rethinking. It's very thin and laced through continuously, so if it were to break at any point, the whole net and whatever is on it falls into the drink (or on dry land, as the boat is currently drydocked).

[Jmolan]

Testing, testing... I'll try for re-entry here. Hope you'll still have me... This forum thread should get an award for being so long lived, congratulations!....:-)

[Jmolan]

I'd like let a book go here, it's The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction 5th edition. It in absolute new condition. I looked it up at used book store, you can get one for $6+ shipping. I will gift mine for free to the first taker. I'll figure shipping and you can pay pal me (or what ever)
I would not recommend bringing this on a multi-hull, the thing is massive!
For fun I included a link as my signature, it's a chapter of a book I wrote a year or so ago....you can back up and see my son on the cover.
I get reports from the guy I sold my 34' Searunner to, he's loving life, in El Salvador now, heading south, single handing...so great to hear!

[longjonsilver]

i'll take it.
PM sent
jon