Tom Hamill (1950 - 2015) master DN builder and racer

[RANDY ROGOSKI]

Tom Hamill died peacefully after a long illness at his home in Huntington Woods, Michigan, USA on February 13, 2015. He was 64 years old.
   In addition to his years racing a DN in the 1980s, 1990s and aughts, Tom built many DN hulls and masts He was a trim and finish carpenter by trade; also a luthier and musician; he sailed a trimaran in summer, trailering it to Lake Superior for long voyages. He also was a veteran of the United States Coast Guard.
   His DN hull and mast designs became popular in the 1980s. He developed the cold-molded veneer mast, at the time controversial, with which Jan Gougeon (1945-2012) won the 1982 DN world championship in Wittensee, Germany. Ron Sherry won the 1989, 1991 and 1992 DN North American Championships with a Hamill mast.
   He is survived by his wife, Mary; two step daughters, father, and three siblings.
Saturday February 21 at 11 a.m. a memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 837 Hendrie Dr., Royal Oak, Mich.
Complete obituary: http://www.sullivanfuneraldirectors.com/obituary/Thomas-Hamill/Huntington-Woods-MI/1481031

[tasar]

Tom lead by example, truly a caring individual. A consummate designer, he took great pleasure bringing things to another level. He leaves a blueprint for all things good. Thanks for your friendship Tom !

[us4066]

"There's black ice on the East Bay!" Jim Grogan's words this morning form a musical melody to the ears of all iceboaters.
The finest tribute and memorial "service" to Thomas Hamill, US4065, is to get out in your "Hamboat" or with your best "woody" and be with him in spirit on the ice at every possible regatta.
Love to all,
Rosemary, US4066

[Niklas OE 221]

From 1993 until the early 2000s I was a proud member of the „Hamill-Team“.
I will never forget the huge support and the great hospitality Tom gave us during our trips to NA.
I am very often thinking about that time.
It was for sure impressing my “career” as an iceboater.
In my thoughts I am with him and his family
With honest grateful thanks
Niklas
OE 221
(Past Commodore IDNIYRA-Europe)

[H580]

From the first contact by phone when John Hofland and I wanted to sail in the US Tom has been incredibly helpful. Boats and veneer masts were build and we were so happy to sail against the fast American guys. But to encounter Tom's hospitality and warmth was the biggest bonus.
It resulted in wonderful friendship for many years and we called ourself the Hamill team together with the Muller-Hartburg brothers from Austria.
We shared a trailer in the US and we shared a trailer in Holland and every winter we came across  to Tom or Tom with Rosemary would come to Europe. Hours of travelling by car and chasing the ice. Lots of fun, laughing so much that we were crying, that is my memory of Tom.
A great craftsman, building bodies of racecars, hulls, masts, trimarans and houses. A true handy man.

There are quite a few sailors including 2 other Hamill Team members (John Hofland and Andreas Muller-Hartburg) up there waiting for you to race on the eternal Black Ice. I bet you all will have a great time and lots of fun.

Tom we will miss you, but you will never be forgotten.  Thank you for being my friend.

Johan Tolsma  H 580
President of DN Nederland

[bobcave]

I only really met Tom Hamill once.
 It was at the DN Worlds on Lake Champlain in about 2003[?], when I unfortunately T-boned him in the middle of a race; going to weather, looking up a really big course, trying to find the mark.
 Big port-starboard mistake, and a huge crash.
Luckily, Tom lived through that high-speed crash and I got to know him, however briefly, when we worked through most of the night fixing his hull and splitting a bottle of rum,.....
Yes, he was a prince of a guy,[and a damn good builder].

Bob Cave DN445