FreedomYachts.org

Good morning,

I've agreed to help a friend rig a Freedom 30 and is stuck between a rigger and a sailmaker. I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has this boat and might help us work through it...?

Thanks!

I'm not sure what you're asking...do you have specific issues? Also, since Freedoms don't have any standing rigging, what's the rigger doing?

-- Geoff

Hi Geoff,

I suspected that was a pretty vague question, but wanted to get into the list before I went much further.

The short answer is that I'm going to be looking at a Freedom 30 this afternoon that has a new jib and new spar that the owner can't seem to make talk to each other... The long story is that the jib was built (and re-built) by a sailmaker that was reputed to be 'the' sailmaker for Freedoms. After two attempts, the owner was told that the problem was in the spar that she was trying to attach the new sail to... So--she bought a new one. Now the sail looks like it might fit, but she can't figure out how to attach the new spar.

I'll be getting pictures later today, but since this is a new rig to me I thought I would go to the pros!

thanks for your reply.

Bill

Before I go too far, I'll assume that you're talking about the camber spar which goes into the jib...Correct?

That is indeed a challenge. I have a 40/40 and disconnect the boom vang tackle system from the boom vang and attach a line from there to the clew of the jib. That gives me a pretty straight pull backwards. First slide the jib over the camber spar and attach the tack. Then position the camber spar so that it is vertical, with the curved side up. I then start tightening the boom vang, which pulls the jib clew backwards towards the horns on the camber spar, and then wrestle it onto the horns. It's not pretty, but it works.
However, I'd be glad to know/see how others do this.

-- Geoff

Hi Geoff,

I tried to upload a picture of our challenge. Teka spoke to the sailmaker today, and the advice was "cut the new camber spar" to fit. The concern with that advice is that it appears that cutting the spar will take us back to the same basic thing we had before we ordered the new one... I'm new to your list, so if I have uploaded the picture incorrectly, let me know and I"ll try again.

Thanks again!

Bill

This may be a better picture.

If need be, I guess we cut the camber spar to fit the sail, and rig from there.

Whatever happened to bowlines and clews?

Thanks again!

What's the difference in the length between the jib and the camber spar? (i.e. When you stretch the sail like you're trying to get on the camber spar, how far away are the grommets from the horns?) What length does the sail maker suggest? What are the dimensions of the sail and camber spar?

--Geoff

P.S. I changed the title of this post from "Rigging a Freedom" to "How do I Install a Jib on the Camber Spar" to make it easier for future people to find this post with the search function.

On this topic, is there a secret to getting the horns pulled back tight enough? And, what is "tight enough"?

Thanks

Come on folks, how do the rest of you get your jibs on the camber spar?

-- Geoff

I attach the clew first. Then I run a line through one of the grommets and then take both ends around the horn. Then I pull like the dickens. The first one goes on easily. The second is a work out.
It sounds like you are new to a Freedom 30. Also know that when you hoist the sail, you need to take it past a straight luff and let the spar push into the forestay. This will give you the proper luff tension and sail shape.
Bill, where are you located? There might be someone on the list near you if we knew.

Stephen Lee
Marblehead, MA