Posted by wendy shore (wendyshore@…>)
We are thinking of buying a used Freedom 35. We sail in Southern Maryland, where the summer winds seem to be 5-10 knots most of the time (mostly 6 or 7), and it can get hot.
Three questions:
It looks like 10+ knots is the preferred wind speed for Freedoms. Should we re-think our choice?
If we get a boat with a/c, will the generator add too much weight?
Has anyone had experience with Southern vs Northern boats? Should we worry about sun damage?
Wendy
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Posted by Jay T. Reed (reedjayt@…>)
Wendy
We purchased an F35 this spring and moved it from Newport to Georgetown MD.
We found the boat to be great in light air, although we haven’t had much of
that this summer, and its fun to sail. If you have any questions, you can
email me directly at reedjayt@ hotmail.com .
Jay
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From: “wendy shore” <wendyshore@…>
Reply-To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] used boat considerations
Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2004 19:55:54 +0000
We are thinking of buying a used Freedom 35. We sail in Southern Maryland, where the summer winds seem to be 5-10 knots most of the time (mostly 6 or 7), and it can get hot.
Three questions:
It looks like 10+ knots is the preferred wind speed for Freedoms. Should we re-think our choice?
If we get a boat with a/c, will the generator add too much weight?
Has anyone had experience with Southern vs Northern boats? Should we worry about sun damage?
Wendy
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Posted by Michael G Katz (mgkatz@…>)
Wendy:
My experience chartering the F35 and owning the F38 is that they are no different than any other 35+ foot sailboat when it comes to sailing in light wind. I have not sailed a J Boat or an “ultra-light”, but I have chartered 25 different boats from almost every major US (Tartan, Sabre, Bristol, Catalina, Morgan) and European (Wauquiez, Bavaria, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dufour, Gib Sea)
manufacturer in just about every major cruising area in US and Carib (plus Greece). Until the wind hits 5 knots, it is all just watching the sea nettles drift by, and at 7-8 knots it is time to trim sails and enjoy the sport. I (personally) would not shy away from a Freedom 35 for fear of lack of performance. David Pedrick designed a nice boat that sails well and is pretty lively, yet substantial. If you were talking about Island Packet, or Hans Christian, or even Pacific Seacraft, I might say “that’s alot of boat for the Chesapeake Bay,” but not a Freedom 35. Don’t mean to come off sounding like a “know it all,” but I am a real fan of these boats–and I sail upwind “tacking my butt off” when most other have dropped sail and are motoring in same direction!
MK
----- Original Message -----
From: wendy shore
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 1:55 PM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] used boat considerations
We are thinking of buying a used Freedom 35. We sail in Southern Maryland, where the summer winds seem to be 5-10 knots most of the time (mostly 6 or 7), and it can get hot.
Three questions:
It looks like 10+ knots is the preferred wind speed for Freedoms. Should we re-think our choice?
If we get a boat with a/c, will the generator add too much weight?
Has anyone had experience with Southern vs Northern boats? Should we worry about sun damage?
Wendy
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Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)
Wendy,
If light air performance is the main consideration I’d look for
something not as beamy as Freedoms, lightweight, with a relatively
easily driven high aspect sail plan. Or just use the diesel on the F-
35. Weight is your enemy for light air performance. I’d skip the
generator and just use a small air conditioner at the dock with
shorepower. The F-35 has several opening ports and you can install
several Hella fans and solar powered vents to keep air moving. A
windscoop is great when anchored. If you decide you really need the
generator spend the big bucks and get one of those ultra compact
ones with an insulated enclosure.
Posted by Brian Guptil (sailordude@…>)
Windy:
I hate to jump into this since it is so passionately held. But Weight is the buzzword of the racers and as such is highly over-rated for cruisers. Freedoms are seldom chosen as pure racers although they do perform very well in most conditions and in some, the excel. If you seek a round the buoys racer, look elsewhere. But if you want a boat the performs well, is fun and under favorable conditions will surprise and sometimes embarrass the competition, Freedom. I use to race on Wednesdays against locals. They all had emptied there boats for these events. I live aboard, with sowing machine, TV, books case of presto-logs, two inflatable and whenever the wind was over 10 I would be in the top three and win occasionally, with winning once while towing a dingee as I was returning from a cruise. One of the boats was a Cal 40 rated about the same as the freedom 36 I was sailing. His boat was stripped for racing and had a full crew and spinnaker. I did it single handed, without a spinnaker and towing a dingee with all of my possessions aboard.
So keep it in perspective. It is as simple as trading comfort for speed. Decide where you want to be on that continuum and do it.
I had 12,000 btu aboard a freedom 44 in New Orleans in the boat yard and that was reasonable. The genset to support something in that size range is about 3Kw. Cabin temperature was in the mid 70’s.
Anchored Magothy River.
Brian Guptil http://www.brigup.com206-818-3203 sailordude@…1735 112th Ave. N.E.Bellevue, WA. 98004-3706
----- Original Message -----
From: wendy shore
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 7:55 PM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] used boat considerations
We are thinking of buying a used Freedom 35. We sail in Southern Maryland, where the summer winds seem to be 5-10 knots most of the time (mostly 6 or 7), and it can get hot.
Three questions:
It looks like 10+ knots is the preferred wind speed for Freedoms. Should we re-think our choice?
If we get a boat with a/c, will the generator add too much weight?
Has anyone had experience with Southern vs Northern boats? Should we worry about sun damage?
Wendy
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