Go 'round in a Freedom 40?

I have owned hull number 6 for almost 30 years. I just finished a 5 month cruise of the great lakes and can tell you that I still feel confident to take the boat anywere . I take in the first reef in about 15 knots of wind, the second in about 20 and in over 25 I sail with 2 reefs in the main and 2 in the mizzen ( somthing like jib and jigger). this way the auto pilot has no trouble keeping the boat on track and I avoid to much heel and weather helm. If the boat is hull number 1 it is gary hoyts own boat and I believe it has a 3 foot + draft. The later production modles like mine had a 4 foot 3 inch draft board up 10 foot board down. The early models like mine had aluminium masts and should I think be reefed early and sailed flat as the weight of the masts (750 pounds) tends to contribute to heel and weater helm. If you do decide to buy the boat I know You will have fun. Good luck.

 

Great sea boat

I own "Fantasy", a 1981 Freedom 40 Cat-Ketch - aft cockpit, hull # 60. She has carbon fiber masts and aluminum wishbones. I live aboard and sail her on San Francisco Bay and California coastal waters. She is very comfortable in heavy weather, very seakindly.

As far as reefing, the large mizzen sail presents a bit of weather helm. So, you have to reef the mizzen (first reef) at around 18 kts to keep her easily managed. Then, I reef the main at about 25 kts, but can leave a full main up to 30 kts. There is no way she could be sailed with full sail in 49 kts of wind without a lot of problems and most likely damage.

I'd sail my F-40 anywhere. But I sail her very conservatively and efficiently by reefing when necessary. Just like I sail all boats.

 

Now I'm really impressed. You crossed the gulfstream in a 14ft Zodiac? If you find me in the middle of Long Island Sound in my 11 foot achilles, there is something desperately wrong.

 

I sail often along the California coast where the usual is 15 - 20 foot seas and winds up to 40 + kts or more. The F-40 CK handles it better than I.

 

Well My wife and I went round in a Herreshoff leaboard ketch , 3' draft no motor and had a great time. Freestanding timber masts where no problem. Did the second ARC and beat a Freedom 40. Gazzabo

 

Freedom 40 hull#1

Hello Seafarer! Did you ever buy the Freedom 40? Where is she located and do you have any pictures. I am interested in that design.
Cheers!

 

Freedom 40

Yes! I bought my 1981 Freedom 40 Cat-Ketch "Fantasy" over three years ago. I've been living aboard her ever since. Send me your email address and I can send photos and a brochure.

Jay Glen

 

Freedom 40

TotemII,

I forgot, my email address is; svfantasy@gmail.com

 

Freedom 40 hull number 6

Hi Timothy,

We have Freedom 40 hull number 7. I would love to talk to you sometime, please email me thatboatguy at gmail dot com Thanks in advance.

George

 

Freedom 40 Hull #1

Hi,
I helped deliver Freedom 40 Hull #1 from the Cayman Islands to Pensicola Florida back in 1981. We barely survived an increadible storm and eventually were rescued by the coast guard. That boat did not have an engine and it had aluminum masts and wooden wish booms. The "Swing Keel" leaked badly at the king bolt if it was lowered past about 30% down.
I would love to know where she is. Her name back then was Santa Margarita and she was owned by Coy Colquitt. He bought her out of dry storage after her charter days came to an end.

 

Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but I wanted to finish telling the story.

I did not get the funds to buy this boat, now named "Modesty". It was sold to a couple from Maine, who sailed it back from the Gulf Coast of FL. Here is a brief webpage that I made way back when I started this thread!

http://www.seafarer-research-center.com/modesty.htm

In the meantime I bought a 1974 Cal Cruising 35 named "Starquest" which I am considering selling to get out of debt

http://www.seafarer-research-center.com/starquest/

I would then live aboard my roomy custom-cabin Island Packet 26 MKI until I saved up enough to buy a Freedom 40 and go cruising. Would still like a Center Cockpit model as it would make it easier to raise a family aboard (I'm *only* 30 so this is still a possibility) but may "settle" for a flush-deck Aft Cockpit since they seem to be cheaper. I would *love* a flush-deck center-cockpit which of course they didn't make!

I think I can save about $15k/year if I quit buying and fixing up project boats to sell at a loss

 

I have just finished the design for a rig conversion for Freedom 40 #62, apparently the last Freedom 40 built in 1982. She has carbon fiber masts with aluminum wishbone booms and wrap-around sails. The conversion changes the sails to single-ply on tracks. They are larger with more roach, have full-length battens, and three reefs in the mizzen and two reefs in the main. The masts are also to be refinished to repair the circumferential cracking that is typical to Freedom masts. They'll be stripped of their cracked gelcoat (ground off) and then relaminated with two layers of fiberglass socks and epoxy resin. Right now the wishbones are held up by fixed chokers attached by eyestraps on the aft sides of the masts. This will be changed to adjustable chokers hung from carbon fiber lugs bonded onto the forward sides of the masts. The sail track is a special type made for glueing onto carbon fiber masts. Some additional deck hardware is included to get all the running rigging back to the cockpit. The conversion should be complete in the next few months.

Eric

 

You might find this interesting with regards to F40 sail plan changes:

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197...TCH-2007984/North-Fort-Myers/FL/United-States

Honestly, all the things they are so proud of having added are all the things I like least about this boat: the bowsprit with it's jib, the hard-top, and the dinghy davits. It's still top of my list, though. Location and price being the determining factors.

This one is next on my list. An Aft Cockpit with a custom interior that I am not fond of at all.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197...board-Model-1632099/Fairhope/AL/United-States

If I can find it... there was a Freedom 40 with no masts just a little south of me. It sold for $10-15k. Completely custom (retarded) interior layout. I tried and tried to get my boat sold to buy this one, but to no avail. Typically, the same guy who wouldn't buy it before is approaching me about it now. I wonder how I could find the new owners of that Freedom 40 and see if they are having buyers remorse? I would love to gut the aft cabin and put in something reasonable (and legal). Then, with a place to sleep and use the bathroom, I could start on the rest of the boat. For masts, I've found 50' aluminum light-poles that have similar diameter and wall-thicknesses to the original aluminum masts that this boat once had (which broke and were replaced with CF masts under warranty, which were eventually ripped off by an impatient draw-bridge operator).

 

Could adding a forestay like that on the first link affect the integrity of the forward mast?

 

Load up that Island Packet and go now! Can always buy bigger boats later, but you never get the years back.