Posted by stevenagaber (sgaber@…>)
Hello there.
I just joined this list because I am considering the purchase of a
Freedom, possibly a 33 or a 40 if I can find one I could afford.
I have owned a Charlie Morgan designed 1967 Columbia 31 for 17 years. I
have been on the Yahoo Columbia list since its founding and am a
frequent contributor there.
The Colubia 31 is a beautiful little boat that sails extremely well.
But it’s a 1960s CCA design and the operative word here is little. The
entire boat has been rebuilt, but it lacks the modern conveniences that
newer boats have – h/c water, shower, air conditioning (this IS
Florida). I could add some of those things, but a shower, for instance
would require much reworking of the interior. My wife won’t spend 3
days on a boat wihtout a shower. Men have lower standards in that
regard. An F33 already has a shower.
I know very little about Freedom boats except that I love the look of
the 33, 40 and 44, have heard good things about their quality and
sailing abilities. I do have some questions which you guys no doubt
have answered many times. I could consult your list archives if you
have one for the answers. Or maybe someone would be so kind as to
answer them.
-
My wife and I plan to spend a lot of time aboard. Anything more than
a few days is not really feasible for a couple on the C-31 unless you
are a masochist or maybe a mouse who has no issues with claustrophobia.
A single person could live on the C31 pretty well, but not two peple
for very long. Have any couples lived aboard or spent long periods of
time on a F33? -
Since the water on the West Coast of Florida is very thin, I am
looking for a shallow draft boat, probably with a centerboard. Do
Freedoms have external ballast with keel bots or is their ballast
encapsulated in fiberglass? Is the presence of the centerboard in the
cabin of the F33 a major bother? -
Is water intrusion in the balsa core of the hull a problem? In some
boats, owners install items – through-hulls for knotmeters, etc.,
without properly isolating the balsa with epoxy. Do the hulls of older
Freedoms have a good record regarding water intrusion and saturation of
the hull core? -
Deck delamination is a common problem with all older boats. What
about Freedoms? How well is the deeck gear mounted? I have replaced
large chunks of the deck of my Columbia and have gotten good at it. I
replaced all the lifeline stanchions, winches and deck cleats. I
installed sail-handling gear on the cabintop so that all the lines lead
back to the cockpit – halyard winches, deck organizers turning blocks
and halyard clutches. I removed all the balsa and/or plywood in these
areas and replaced it with biaxial glass and epoxy to a thickines of
over an inch. You could lift the boat at any of these re-enforced
locations. But I don’t wanna do much more of that unless necessary. -
Do you know of any F-33s or F-40s available? There were a few listed
in the on-line brokerages, but I thought maybe you guys would have a
better idea of any that may be out there. Anybody know anything about
the F-40 in Fairhope, Alabama? I realize there’s a big difference
between the F33 and the F40. Whichever one we end up with will
determine the amiunt of time we spend aboard. I am willing to do a
reasonable amount of work. I would even consider one that needs an
engine. I am a manufacturer’s rep for Beta Marine Diesel engines and
would probably replace whatever engine is in there anyway.
Those questions should be sufficient for a start. This post is probably
too long for you guys anyway. I don’t know how tolerant this list is,
compared to the Columbia list, which is notoriously and gloriously
irreverent, rambling and frequently off-topic.
Any insight you could provide on these pithy issues would be
appreciated.
Sincerely,
Steve Gaber
Sanderling
1967 Columbia 31, #77
Oldsmar, FL