briank wrote:THis is a request for any owner of a PH 39 to please advise me of any particular problems that I should advise my surveyor to watch out for. I'm having a PH 39 in Plymouth UK surveyed on Tuesday 2nd Feb. My wife and I really fancied a Freedom 40 centre cockpit but as value of the pound has fallen so much against both the dollar and the Euro it's made sense to buy a boat in the UK. This PH looks a terrific boat and is very well equipped. The major selling point - although it took three visits to make sure - was the PH from where you can steer and/or watch the world go by. Thanks in advance, Brian.
Brian, some points specific to the Freedom 39PH in particular:
*The hull and deck are almost 100% balsa cored, right down to the keel. Check for delamination or humidity.
*Osmosis is an issue with many Freedom from the 1980s (my PH39 had traces, and many others I inspected in the south of the US). In the north (colder water and out on land for some months in the winter) this was not an issue, based on my experience.
*Check those large windows for leaks. Sometimes, condensation on the large PH windows will make it look as if there is a leak, but it is, unfortunatly, inevitable unless you have heating.
*Check for the mast partners (you'll find some postings relating to this issue)
*Diesel tank leaking?
I first saw a F39PH in Kinsale, Ireland, in the early '90. It was love at first sight. Then I came across Ron Holland's desing office in the village and I made the connection. Bought a F33/35 ketch I owned for 6 years, worked abroad for a while and got my PH39 once back home, 4 years ago. I love it. Definitly, the internal layout is not the best for offshore cruising, and I have never used the internal steering station (visibility is not that great). Overall though, nothing comes close to it (apart, maybe, a 40 CC, right, George?). The sale area is quite important, the boat is lively even in a breeze, but 3 reefs and easy sail reduction from the cokpit make it safe in stormy conditions. It is manageable shorthanded, a bit physical to get the mainsail up. Fast and stable, points upwind quite well if your sales are OK. Be carefull if you have new sails made, not every sailmaker knows how to deal with a free standing rig (can't flatten the sail using a backstay, or a choker as with the wishbone rigs).
Good luck