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I've had the mast off for quite some time now to install new jib and spin halyard boxes and new equipment and wiring at the masthead. Will post update on all that work soon. In the meantime, and in anticipation of putting my mast back on so I have a real sailboat again, does anyone know if a panting rod was built into the mast step? See picture below; the rod is about midway on the left side. It runs from the mast step to the underside of the deck to (so I'm told) keep running rigging forces in check. One person has told me it wasn't factory built on 30/32s. Right? What about 36/38s? I'm asking because I wonder now if it was a PO fix for something that wasn't a problem, which I've run into on some other things so I'm starting to detect a pattern. When my mast was removed, the yard guys (the C Team, long story....) destroyed the glassed-in bolts that were holding the panting rod in place. I'm obsessing about what to do to fix this. Some feedback from other owners on what they have and if it looks like this mast step, would be super appreciated!

I have one on my 1987 F36/38 #65. Looks exactly like the one in your picture.

Michael Belanich
Dolcetto F38 #65

Thanks, Michael. Any idea how the bolts are attached? It's become a bit of a mystery after the yard removed a couple of the bolts by mistake.

I can confirm a panting rod is not installed in the F30. 1986 model at least.

Having said that, first time I have heard the term and did a little research to find out what a panting rod is. Apparently designed to transfer rigging loads transmitted to the keel via the mast back to the deck. This limits hull distortion and deck movement with respect to the mast partners. Wow!

When you think about it, if you have the main close hauled and jib and main halyards fully tensioned you are placing quite a bit of downward force on the mast step. Not to mention the weight of the mast itself. Presumably a wired rig would place even more downward force on the mast.

I have seen zero sign of any such movement at the partners on my boat but I suppose the rig vs the strength of the hull /deck are variables that drive a decision on whether a panting rod is called for.

Really interesting!

Hmmm. We really need a poll to see which Freedoms have these rods and which don't.

Funny you should think the forces would be downward. There's a thread I started on this topic on Cruisers Forum where someone doubted the need for a panting rod on an unstayed rig, but another person said that, with lines leading aft, there could be upward forces. I'm starting to believe that like the mast itself and how sturdy it was built in the 80s (i.e., way more carbon layup than is done today according to one CF rigger), that TPI installed the rod out of an abundance of caution. But don't take that to the bank!! I've made many 180 degree turns on so many other things I've been learning about Freedoms or with sailboats in general. This is just another one of those things that begs further understanding.

I believe a panting rod reduces upward flexing due to any rigging that pulls upward on the deck such as halyard tension. On my previous boat, an Oday 31, the panting rod was very important because the deck was not as robust as the Freedom deck.
I'll be at the boat tomorrow and I'll take some pictures of how its fastened.
Michael Belanich
Dolcetto F38 #65

My 1991 F38 has the same set up. Paul Dennis was production manager at Freedom and would probably know why it was installed on the 38s.

On my old F38 #120 is a padeye on the cabin roof attached to the panting rod underdeck.
On a sailplan of boat and sails the vang to control mainsail twist is not the mostly used boomvang
attached to a collar around the mast but block and tackle attached to this padeye.
( Giving a much better angle for the force needed to keep the boom down btw)
I think the panting rod is there to lead the forces to a stronger point than the deck is.
I used it for this purpose and needed to adjust the tension of the rod.

OK, yes, the upward force could also be an issue, there certainly is a lot of upward force applied to the partners by the halyards. My halyards are led through blocks attached to the mast ring so I assume the area around the partners is robustly engineered on the 30 since I see no evidence of any movement around the collar area.

No panting rod in our 1985 F32. Interesting topic though.