Port Screens and Cockpit Enclosure for Freedom 45

[Rick Hardy]

Question #1. Does anyone know a source for screen inserts on the Freedom 45 ports. There are 10 stainless steel ports sized 12" x 5" and 6 ports sized 10" x 4". We have just purchased our boat and there we no port screens on board.

Question #2. On all the Freedom 45 pictures we have seen, the bimini and the dodger don't seem to contact. In the pictures of other Freedom 45's and on our own boat, the bimini is much wider and overhangs the narrower dodger so that a full enclosure will not work with that configuration. If you have a Freedom 45 with a full enclosure that connects to the bimini, we would be very interested in seeing any photos you may have.

Best regards, Rick & Wendy Hardy.

[phildowney]

hi
if you have fuler brush co ports spares are available online
any bimini probs im a covermaker so post pics and see where were at

phil

[phildowney]

apologies the ports cant be fuller as those are plastic
phil

[Hans]

Look at: http://www.pompanette.com/bomar

the portlights are the stainless steel ones of the ' passage series'.

Company is helpful.

Can't help with the cockpit enclosure.

[Michel]

Iverson's make the best dodgers I've ever seen. Their site has many photos; perhaps of help to you. http://www.iversonsdesign.com/

[Rick Hardy]

Thank-you to those who replied regarding our questions about port screens and cockpit enclosures and a special thanks to Hans for steering us to http://www.pompanette.com/bomar for the screens.

With regards to the cockpit enclosure, we are still unsure as to why all the Freedom 45 pictures we have seen apparently show a wide bimini attached approx. 1 foot outside of the cockpit which cannot be connected to the narrower dodger. If you have a bimini and a separate dodger that can be zippered to each other, we would be very interested in seeing any photos you may have of that arrangement.

We are thinking about going with a narrower bimini attached to the top of the cockpit combing, which then would be the same width as the dodger, which could then be zippered together to create a full enclosure.

Thanks again to those who responded. Best regards, Rick & Wendy Hardy

[plolic]

In general biminis are always wider than dodgers, roughly a foot on each side. if you do want to connect it for full enclosure you ned to make that connecting section and have a zipper on both dodger edge and bimini edge to zip it together. On my previous boat Dufour 31 with a tiller steering I've made that piece with the acrylic in it to be able to view the top of the mast and main sail trim. With my F36 I have the acrylic insert in the bimini to view the mast top and mainsail trim. once you have the tops you can work your way to full enclosure although I do not like it too much. Rarely used, hard to sail with and too much hassle to rig and remove. Dodger, bimini and that intermediate piece is all i need.

[GeoffSchultz]

I completely agree with Plolic. I've gone through multiple iterations on the insert between then bimini and dodger and have settled on a Sunbrella insert which is only used when we're at anchor/dock for an extended period and/or it's going to rain. I used to have an acrylic one thinking that I could use it underway, but due to its almost horizontal pitch, it's basically impossible to see clearly through when looking forward. The Sunbrella is much easier to store.

-- Geoff