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Posted by vladimir_ud (eremeev@…>)

Hello, My name is Vladimir, I’m new owner of old Freedom 28 Cat
Ketch, hull #10, centerboard model.
I purchased the boat a few months ago. She is currently sitting in
Clear Lake, TX, however, I live in Brooklyn NY. I’m looking toward
long exiting trip on the boat.
I have extensive small boat sailing experience. When I said `small
boat" I mean it. I have ran Watertribe Challenges 6 times.
Watertribe Challenge is a prime and most demanding small boat race
in US. – 300 unsupported miles on open beach boats, require entering
and navigating some very difficult waters…

Freedom 28, small by convenient standards, is a huge boat for me.

I have very little experience with “big” sailboats, a few days of
charter here and there.

I’m planning to take my F28 out of Galveston bay sometimes around
may 8, sail it to Cedar Key, Fl first. (I have friends in Cedar Key,
where I can leave a boat for a few weeks) If everything is all
right, me and boat like each other, we will continue to Okochobee
canal across Florida, and continue to North Carolina, where I have
another friend to keep an eye on the boat.

I plan to do as much sailing outside and offshore as possible.
I plan to do it solo.

I have a few questions.

Boat doesn’t have any electronics now but VHF radio. I will install
depth sounder.
I have hand held GPSs, more than one. I have hand held VHF.
I have survival gear, PLB, EPIRB, immersion suit, etc, actually I
can teach how to survive in wilderness :slight_smile: I will have inflatable
kayak as a dingy and life raft – I feel much more confident in
handling that craft than F28.
Let’s assume that boat is in sound condition, everything is checked,
motor is running well, I will have spare parts, filters, spare pump
or two, all rigging and sails are OK.
I read all books and manuals necessary to venture offshore.

Question number 1
Boat doesn’t have any autopilots. I’m willing to hand steer her most
of the time. I will need some time to rest. I’m trained to function
will very little sleep for a week. Is it possible, in mild
conditions, trim sails that boat will keep a course for a while,
let’s say 45 minutes?
How easy to hove-to the boat, how stable she is in hove-to
condition?
Do I need to invest in electric wheel pilot? I’d like to test the
boat prior to making such decision, however my time is running short
and I will not have a time to serious test sail. I would rather
have a windwane of sort, they are expensive, and again, I need more
time on the boat to figure out.

Question #2
I just started plotting my course. North-East area of Gulf of Mexico
has lots of restriction areas, missile test areas, oil rigs,
pipelines… What to watch? What to expect? Where not to venture?
Mississippi river delta – how far offshore to stay, it must be rough
around there.
Question #3
How late in the season is not too late to make this trip?
Assuming I’ll make to Florida and decide to go home, work a month,
buy all necessary stuff… How late in season can I make it to NC? Is
July too late?
Question #4
How far offshore I will get weather info on VHF?
Any suggestions about the course and boat preparation?

I really welcome any thoughts. I do all trip on very tight budget.
Any ideas how to save a buck here and there?

I feel very happy having Freedom 28. I have been dreaming about this
boat for last 5 years. I hope this trip prove my dreams.

Thanks.
.
Excuse my English; it’s still my second language.

Regards
Vlad

2

Posted by lance_ryley (lance_ryley@…>)

Hi Vlad, welcome, and congratulations on the purchase of your boat.
There are several gulf coast sailors who I’m sure will give you great
insight into what you can expect in the Gulf and coast of florida.

Question number 1
Boat doesn’t have any autopilots. I’m willing to hand steer her
most
of the time. I will need some time to rest. I’m trained to function
will very little sleep for a week. Is it possible, in mild
conditions, trim sails that boat will keep a course for a while,
let’s say 45 minutes?

Here’s the rub - you can probably, in steady winds and calm seas, get
the 28 to sail straight for 45 minutes if helm and sails are balanced
(Bright Star, a cat-ketch 40, has shown herself capable of this), but
by USCG regulations you must keep watch at all times. This rule gets
bent when people single-hand across the ocean, obviously, but I’d be
wary of needing to cat-nap anywhere near commercial traffic or the
shoreline. You’d be better off finding at least one other person to
help you make the trip, or divide your trip up into more days to stay
within good safety margins of fatigue.

Question #4
How far offshore I will get weather info on VHF?
VHF is line of sight. The basic formula for figuring the distance is
1.22*(Square root of your antenna height above water) + 1.22*
(square root of sending antenna height above water). So for
instance two boats with antennas 16’ above water would be able to
hear each other effectively for 1.224 + 1.224 miles, or
approximately 10 miles. Not taking into account the height of the
broadcasting antenna, if your vhf antenna is at the top of your
masts, and your masts are approximately 30’ off the water, 6.7 miles!
Of course the weather is broadcast from very tall antennas with lots
of power - in the Florida area expect 25 - 40 miles for weather
reports. This may be shorter if you’re only using a handheld VHF.

Lance
Bright Star

3

Posted by tom (ketch_22@…>)

Hello Vlad,

I sailed from Clear Lake to Ft Myers Beach Florida in December of 98
in a F39 Express. We sailed on a close reach for the most part. The
worst weather we saw was 30 knots and 10 foot waves. The wave height
was aggravated by short frequency (time between wave heights). I had
fuel problems on the way, and sailed the entire route as a result. We
had some dead air time infrequently, and just waited for the wind.
The trip took 7 days. Mississippi River delta waters were calm. We
were between 60 and 100 miles offshore at that time. We did set the
depth alarm off despite being in several hundred feet, when we went
through the silt laden delta waters. It got my attention, but proved
harmless.

The charts for the area underestimate the number of offshore oil wells
in that area. The working wells were lit up like christmas trees,
however there are a lot of wells that are no longer active. Some of
the non-working wells had navigation lights - many did not. You have
to go well off shore to avoid them - way beyond VHF range.

You might try the ICW, as an alternate to the off shore route. If you
get tired you can drop anchor and get some rest.

Hurricane season starts in June. If you leave in early May, you have
enough time to get to Florida, but not much left over for the unexpected.

I’ll never own a boat without a good auto-pilot, but that’s a personal
choice. I don’t like to be tied to the wheel, and in bad weather I
want to be able to crawl in behind the dodger while the auto-pilot steers.

Tom

— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “vladimir_ud” <eremeev@…>
wrote:

Hello, My name is Vladimir, I’m new owner of old Freedom 28 Cat
Ketch, hull #10, centerboard model.
I purchased the boat a few months ago. She is currently sitting in
Clear Lake, TX, however, I live in Brooklyn NY. I’m looking toward
long exiting trip on the boat.
I have extensive small boat sailing experience. When I said `small
boat" I mean it. I have ran Watertribe Challenges 6 times.
Watertribe Challenge is a prime and most demanding small boat race
in US. – 300 unsupported miles on open beach boats, require entering
and navigating some very difficult waters…

Freedom 28, small by convenient standards, is a huge boat for me.

I have very little experience with “big” sailboats, a few days of
charter here and there.

I’m planning to take my F28 out of Galveston bay sometimes around
may 8, sail it to Cedar Key, Fl first. (I have friends in Cedar Key,
where I can leave a boat for a few weeks) If everything is all
right, me and boat like each other, we will continue to Okochobee
canal across Florida, and continue to North Carolina, where I have
another friend to keep an eye on the boat.

I plan to do as much sailing outside and offshore as possible.
I plan to do it solo.

I have a few questions.

Boat doesn’t have any electronics now but VHF radio. I will install
depth sounder.
I have hand held GPSs, more than one. I have hand held VHF.
I have survival gear, PLB, EPIRB, immersion suit, etc, actually I
can teach how to survive in wilderness :slight_smile: I will have inflatable
kayak as a dingy and life raft – I feel much more confident in
handling that craft than F28.
Let’s assume that boat is in sound condition, everything is checked,
motor is running well, I will have spare parts, filters, spare pump
or two, all rigging and sails are OK.
I read all books and manuals necessary to venture offshore.

Question number 1
Boat doesn’t have any autopilots. I’m willing to hand steer her most
of the time. I will need some time to rest. I’m trained to function
will very little sleep for a week. Is it possible, in mild
conditions, trim sails that boat will keep a course for a while,
let’s say 45 minutes?
How easy to hove-to the boat, how stable she is in hove-to
condition?
Do I need to invest in electric wheel pilot? I’d like to test the
boat prior to making such decision, however my time is running short
and I will not have a time to serious test sail. I would rather
have a windwane of sort, they are expensive, and again, I need more
time on the boat to figure out.

Question #2
I just started plotting my course. North-East area of Gulf of Mexico
has lots of restriction areas, missile test areas, oil rigs,
pipelines… What to watch? What to expect? Where not to venture?
Mississippi river delta – how far offshore to stay, it must be rough
around there.
Question #3
How late in the season is not too late to make this trip?
Assuming I’ll make to Florida and decide to go home, work a month,
buy all necessary stuff… How late in season can I make it to NC? Is
July too late?
Question #4
How far offshore I will get weather info on VHF?
Any suggestions about the course and boat preparation?

I really welcome any thoughts. I do all trip on very tight budget.
Any ideas how to save a buck here and there?

I feel very happy having Freedom 28. I have been dreaming about this
boat for last 5 years. I hope this trip prove my dreams.

Thanks.
.
Excuse my English; it’s still my second language.

Regards
Vlad