FreedomYachts.org

921068_10151430638963806_1441139782_o.jpg We set a mizzen stays'l as Mike describes in light airs. It's quite effective, but you can't gybe the main without dropping it. If the airs are very light, you might even try without the running backstay, but there is some risk. The P.O. of Castaway describ...

Hello, Haddock, I have a Freedom 35 as well, though it has only one aluminium mast, the forward one being carbon fibre. The system for removing is the same as Mike has described, though there might be some different packing around the base of the masts than the resin he mentions. I would add a few p...

This rather nice centre-cockpit F40 was in Lerwick on Friday, en route from France to Norway. The permanent 'bimini' and spray screen will certainly improve cold, wet weather sailing, though we have had a run of sunshine this week. The owner pointed out the single ply sails set with parrel beads; no...

RadioZeohyr wrote:- "It is, for some reason, the state flag of Hawaii."

Aah, the Sandwich Isles!

Thanks for the reply; never seen that flag before.

Current European regulations for new boats require all output from the heads to go directly into a holding tank, and there's now precious few places in Scandinavia where it can legally be emptied overboard, no matter the age of the boat. When I installed one ten years ago, I put it above the waterli...

Had to do this a few years ago. I don't know what prices are like in the US, but here I made a substantial saving by buying from a caravan/RV supplier, rather than a marine chandlery. The pumps appeared identical, though with different names. The cheap replacement has lasted more than ten years, and...

How sad to see this. Since having a very near miss with the wind instrument, I have always gone up the mast to remove it before stepping, and replace it after. Happily, I have a power winch and a helpful crew (she's the skipper, of course!) which makes it practical, even at my age. Because there are...

Jim D, The PO seems to have done some major conversion work; not only have the openings for the masts been closed, but the raised rim, of the aft one at least, has been cut down to leave the coachroof flat. Probably Fairways Marine would have made a neater job of the chainplates, too. The rubbing st...

Peaceandfreedom, my apologies for the contradiction! I only saw a small version of the picture first. I tried to edit my reply, but obviously failed. Looking again, I wondered why anyone would do such a thing, since the unstayed masts are such a benefit. I also wonder how sound the chainplate attach...

I have a UK built F35 Cat-Ketch with centreboard. It has never been weighed accurately, but crane operators have suggested figures from a bit over five to around seven metric tonnes. The Channel Handicap System rating displacement is recorded as 6,100 kg. I generally ask for crane capacity of at lea...