Posted by Medium Al (hjulbyhavn@…>)
The shoal keel is quite stout and much less likely to be damaed
should you touch the bottom. The real draft is about 2’4"-6" loaded
but that is a lot less than 4’ and it will get you into some pretty
quiet secluded spots.
It is not closewinded but you can tack at a true 120 degree doing 4
1/2 to 5 knots with old sails. When you pinch, you can go closer but
ultimately the VMG is much better when you keep the speed up because
of reduced leeway. 25 Mph wind is not a problem in open water when
the wavelengh match the wind. Above 25 mph wind you will have trouble
tacking into the wind, but so do all small boats that accelerate as
fast as the F21.
The rudder is a little small for the “crazy stuff” - if you sail with
the boom out or don’t reef, but the Harstick main sail have so many
adjustments that it is not difficult to manage in most conditions
(Boom wang, Out Haul, Batten tension, Luff tension, Cuningham). Of
course precision sailtrim requires precision helmsmanship.
You must keep it upright in a chop, but it is faster at 15 degree
heel as long as the keep grips. With more heel the keel gets behind
the hull and leeway goes up (on the shoal).
If the sail is good and you rig it with the sail out from the mast
you can avoid the Jib (see mine here
http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/freedom21/photos/browse/4e23 )or add
both and you won’t want to spend any more time comparing the F21
to “lesser” boats.
You definitely have to deal with the scuppers and the campanionway
board before venturing out in the big stuff, the starboard storage
locker wall is only about 8" so you could floos the interior very
fast. I would add a tight snap-on cover for that.
The mast is not fastened well enough for a rollover either. You need
a much deeper mast base and a better way of keeping it attached in
order to expect to take a rollover without loosing it.
There is no backing plate for the rudder bolts. A sheet of 3/4
plywood and big washers should be plenty strong, but stock the bolts
could be pulled through or worse, crak the fiberglass.
You also have to deal with the sail-slides. They can and will peel
off the track (break) if a stong gust hits a reefed sail (try Zero to
25Mph as I did on lake Superior and someone else did on SF Bay). Add
two more slides on the topplate and maybe a couple below that on the
sail and use a slightly flexible attachment scheme like nylon rope.
I am looking for a bigger boat but my F21 is not for sale, my wife
will have to hurt me before I sell it, so if some day you see a one
armed sailor in a larger Freedom that don’t wave back, remember I
probably can’t and look for the nod.
I think an F21 would make a great family heirloom, the quality is
there.