FreedomYachts.org

Hi Ed: Sorry to see that you, too, are leaving the Freedom fraternity as I did in 2013 when I sold my 36. After the sale I did not know when or if I’d sail again. I found Pelagic Sailing Club and actually sailed more in 2014 than I did in 2013. Our club consists of about half boat owners who need cr...

I had screens similar to the ones shown in the picture. They were made from 1/4" plywood, cut out for the screens and the screens epoxied into place. I often used the screens in place of the hatch boards with the boat on her mooring for good ventilation.

Be carefull when using messenger halyards. This is a great idea but I did this one year and used messengers too small, about 1/8” I think. These messengers were small enough to jump off the block, jam beside the block, and could not be moved. Crane service was required to get re-rigged in the spring.

My F36 came to me with the icebox draining into the bilge. I soon sealed it and pumped the ice box into the sink with a small pump. This reduced the smells from food particles being flushed into bilge.

I did this some years ago in my 1986 F36. It is a hassle and smelly. Get the hoses out of the way by cutting them off, assuming they are the sewage hoses, as close to the tank as possible. Work the tank out into the under seat space as far as you can then use a jigsaw to cut part of the tank out the...

On my F36 I called under the ring then set the ring in place and moderately tightened the nuts to allow caulk to set then fully tightened the nuts. Masking the area around the mast controlled excess caulk. I used ordinary silicone caulk also caulked around the top of the ring. You will still get wat...

A few months ago there was an article published in one of the major boating mag, cruising world I think, about someone who did a rehab of his fuel tank while still in the boat. I don’t know if this is feasible with your tanks as well.

Hi Ed:
You might try an impact driver assuming that you don't find a nut underneath. A hand held drive you hit with a hammer is effective (sometimes) and inexpensive. You will need a bit that really fits the screw head.

West epoxy is great stuff. It does have one weakness - heat.

Art. Sorry to see you are selling. When I sold my F36 I didn’t know if I would sail again. Pelagic Sailing Club was the answer for me. If you would like I will ask the board if your application can be reinstated as crew for next year. That way you can reduce your time commitment but still do some sa...