FreedomYachts.org

We at BAADS in San Francisco got a Freedom 21 donated. We subsequently found deep cracks in the mast at the holes where the halyards enter the mast, looks like the cracking occurs along the drilled holes at the top of the fittings, both sides. Fix advice is all over the map, from a $7K total sleeve to just a carbon fiber and epoxy patch. Have read Sponberg's document. We're looking for advice from anyone who's seen this issue and has made an affordable and safe fix. Do these look fatal if un-repaired? Will mast eventually snap under load? Is a simple patch adequate? Thanks for your help!

I'll be sailing the Bay all next week, I owned a F21 from 2008-2013, I would be happy to stop by and look at it for an hour. I'm no expert but I can compare it to the boat I use to own and see if the cracking is really and issue. Just let me know when and where. I'll be coming out of Vallejo on Saturday 25MAR18 and heading back around the 1st, I just need a slip to pull into since my F33 will be my only form of transportation.

Thanks Goose13. The boat is at South Beach Marina at the SBYC/BAADS dinghy dock, across from the guest slips, and is right under the hoist. I can meet you the 25th. We will need my gate key to access the dinghy dock. I'm heading up to Reno the 26th in the morning for a couple of weeks. Did you see the photos in the PDF? These are the cracks that concerned us and the carbon fiber expert at Spaulding Marine the most. Others say not a big deal to grind out and patch. Lots of small compression cracks appear all the way up our mast and may just be cosmetic gel coat cracks. There is another F21 just up the dock from us, she has the same compression cracks all the way up. -Eric Roberts, BAADS

I'll meet you there on the 25th. I'll let you know if I get delayed for weather.

One more close-up of our starboard side mast crack. Seems to penetrate at least half way through the laminate layers. Port side crack is longer, thinner, but when you stick a finger in the halyard hole and feel the inside of the mast, you can feel that it goes all the way through.

Is the Mast unstepped? I was delayed today after loosing my clew line on my main mast in San Pablo bay not sure what time I will arrive tomorrow since it is a sail boat but I'm hoping for mid afternoon. We will be spending the night in the South Beach Harbor. I'll be the blue double masted Freedom.

Ok will look for you this afternoon. The mast is still stepped. I have a gate key to the dinghy dock where she's tied.

Sorry I missed you today Goose13, I went down looking a few times. It is perfectly OK for you to tie up briefly to the SBYC/BAADS dinghy dock at the north end of the marina and take a look on your way out. -Eric, BAADS

Eric, I was delayed longer than I thought. I just arrived in Berkley late this afternoon. If you would like I could sail in tomorrow late afternoon and spend the night in South Beach Marina. Let me know, I'll check the Forum tomorrow morning. Doug

No problem Doug, we have a bunch of folks, including an engineer, who have or will look at it, we should be able to come up with a fix. We'll post our findings!!