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freedom 25 purchase, what to look for...

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:08 pm
by Lans Stout
I'm looking to buy a Freedom 25, what should I look for in a 30+ year old boat a possible problem areas...deck/hull stress in seem, keel bolts & fin keel attachment stresses, deck sandwich design prone to leaks at fittings soft spots ect,
carbon fiber mast & ultraviolet/sun deteriation, what are weak points that I should be aware of in an 'eyes open' check of a boat...thank you! Lans

Re: freedom 25 purchase, what to look for...

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:46 am
by hxschiller
If the F-25 has a rotating wing mast, the bearing at the partners (1/10" Teflon sheet) may be missing. Likewise the tapered roller bearing at the base of the mast. The mast itself is nearly bullet-proof (and relatively heavy), UV damage should be limited to the mast's finish paint (I assume it's been painted over the years).
There is a tendency for the aft-most keel bolt to leak in these boats (I understand that J-24s have the same problem).
On my F-25, some damn fool must've dropped the butt of the wing mast onto the deck alongside/nearby the mast hole and delaminated the deck. Eventually it deteriorated with cracks visible at the skin surface.
The cockpit drain tubes at the transom were not gel-coated and were subject to UV deterioration, and leaking into the boat. I replace mine with thru-hulls with flaps (Perko).
The cabin side glazing will eventually leak, and need replacement.
I discovered a leak at the hull-deck joint caused by the fact that the alignment holes were not filled with a machine screw and caulking. This required removal of the toe rail, filling this hole with epoxy paste, and caulking and replacing the toe rail.
Sure, I'd look for soft spots near deck-mounted hardware, doesn't everyone suspect this?
The oldest F-25 is now (only) ~27 years old. The 1982 boats had wing masts. Subsequent years have slightly taller round tapered masts. My experience with wing mast vs round mast tells me that the wing mast is considerably more efficient than round mast, especially when beating to windward.

Re: freedom 25 purchase, what to look for...

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:58 pm
by Lans Stout
Gads, you are a wealth of good stuff! I'll get back with you on help, the Freedom 21 I had was amazing as far as sailing agility & speed...a friend lost his hat overboard, very close to a bank of oyster/mud, we came about, retrieved the hat & back on tack as quick as my Carolina Skiff with 40hp outboard could manage the task...I'm hoping the Freedom 25 is the same with 4-foot amidships for head & galley accomidations, Again, thank you! Lans