Hello, my wife and I are considering purchasing a Freedom 45cc as a live aboard and cruiser. We plan to live aboard for a year or 2 here in Maine while prepping the boat for long term cruising.
We currently own a 1985 Ericson 35-3 which we love. She is just a little too small for our proposed use. We love the performance of this boat as she has a deep(6'2") keel that will allow her to point 28°-30° apparent. We recognize that the shorter wing keel on the 45 will be more suited to shallow areas such as the Bahamas.
What kind of pointing ability can we expect from this boat?
What are the pros/cons of a CC vs. AC boat?
Is the boat tender or stiff?
Where can I find a brochure?(did not see any in the Docs section)
Thanks for your help
Tim
Freedom 45 info needed
Re: Freedom 45 info needed
Hi Tim,
I own a 45ft ac since almost 2 years, I can give some answers.
Freedoms' are primairily cruising boats, very sound built. Lots of space, easily handled, also for a shorthanded crew.
Mostly they do'nt point very high. 30-35 degrees apparent normally, depending on sea conditions. I have a deep keel ( 6,5 ft) myself no experience with wingkeel.
The center cockpit fancies a huge master stateroom, which is nice in harbour or at anchor. The sail area is a bit less then a aft cockpit.
So they are a bit slower. I personnally prefer to be a liitle bit closer to the sea when sailing, and also I like to be able to watch the mainsail and tell
tales when I am sailing. That's the main reason I prefer the aft cockpit version. Also there are almost no cockpitlockers on the CC, there are 2 on the AC.
(almost to small to my liking, the 38ft has I think the best cockpitlocker).
A do most sailing longer distances. I certainly want to have lockerspace for extra lines, anchor, dinghy etc.
You should choose on your sailing/ living aboard needs I think.
I consider the boat as pretty stiff, difficult to sail the deckrail under water.
A point of advice: I think it's customary in the US when you want to decide on a boat to have it surveyed. My experiences with surveyers in the US are not entirely positive.
You live around Maine. In Warren, RI, there's Warren River Boatworks, owner Paul Dennis. Paul was the productionmanager of the Freedom yard.
He still knows most boats by hart. When he checks a Freedom, you really now what to expect.
Don't let the low pointing ability of the Freedom diasappoint you, 1) a little bit lower on the wind and they fly; 2) after 11000 miles with Freedom's I still learn.
I have on my 38ft a relatively flat mainsail, I looked at Steve Haarstick's tips for mainsailtrim and installed a winch on the boom for the outhaul, in more then 20 knots, I trim the outhaul flat, put the traveller up halfway to luff, lots of tension on the kicking strap; as also the Cunningham, to flatten the sail.
I did this in the end of our sailing season here. I sailed in 24-28 knots upwind in a choppy sea, which normaly
most of the time stops the boat dead in her tracks, and made a 6 -6,8 knots (GPS) at a apparent windangle 28-32 degrees. ( No reef in the main)
I never had this kind of performance with the Freedom before. I find most of the Freedom mains to full, wrecking upwind performance and only giving to much heeling.
I do'nt know whether there's any brochure left.
Good luck in deciding.
( For what it's worth; I sailed about 40 years in al kind of boats from 18 to 80ft, different kind of rigs, lakes, sea and ocean.
We bought the 45ft Freedom as a live aboard home expending the coming years our time on the water.
I consider her the best boat sofar. A safe good seaboat, room enough to live on, built in a quality you wo'nt find in any present time boat.)
I own a 45ft ac since almost 2 years, I can give some answers.
Freedoms' are primairily cruising boats, very sound built. Lots of space, easily handled, also for a shorthanded crew.
Mostly they do'nt point very high. 30-35 degrees apparent normally, depending on sea conditions. I have a deep keel ( 6,5 ft) myself no experience with wingkeel.
The center cockpit fancies a huge master stateroom, which is nice in harbour or at anchor. The sail area is a bit less then a aft cockpit.
So they are a bit slower. I personnally prefer to be a liitle bit closer to the sea when sailing, and also I like to be able to watch the mainsail and tell
tales when I am sailing. That's the main reason I prefer the aft cockpit version. Also there are almost no cockpitlockers on the CC, there are 2 on the AC.
(almost to small to my liking, the 38ft has I think the best cockpitlocker).
A do most sailing longer distances. I certainly want to have lockerspace for extra lines, anchor, dinghy etc.
You should choose on your sailing/ living aboard needs I think.
I consider the boat as pretty stiff, difficult to sail the deckrail under water.
A point of advice: I think it's customary in the US when you want to decide on a boat to have it surveyed. My experiences with surveyers in the US are not entirely positive.
You live around Maine. In Warren, RI, there's Warren River Boatworks, owner Paul Dennis. Paul was the productionmanager of the Freedom yard.
He still knows most boats by hart. When he checks a Freedom, you really now what to expect.
Don't let the low pointing ability of the Freedom diasappoint you, 1) a little bit lower on the wind and they fly; 2) after 11000 miles with Freedom's I still learn.
I have on my 38ft a relatively flat mainsail, I looked at Steve Haarstick's tips for mainsailtrim and installed a winch on the boom for the outhaul, in more then 20 knots, I trim the outhaul flat, put the traveller up halfway to luff, lots of tension on the kicking strap; as also the Cunningham, to flatten the sail.
I did this in the end of our sailing season here. I sailed in 24-28 knots upwind in a choppy sea, which normaly
most of the time stops the boat dead in her tracks, and made a 6 -6,8 knots (GPS) at a apparent windangle 28-32 degrees. ( No reef in the main)
I never had this kind of performance with the Freedom before. I find most of the Freedom mains to full, wrecking upwind performance and only giving to much heeling.
I do'nt know whether there's any brochure left.
Good luck in deciding.
( For what it's worth; I sailed about 40 years in al kind of boats from 18 to 80ft, different kind of rigs, lakes, sea and ocean.
We bought the 45ft Freedom as a live aboard home expending the coming years our time on the water.
I consider her the best boat sofar. A safe good seaboat, room enough to live on, built in a quality you wo'nt find in any present time boat.)
Hans Hansen, Makkum,The Netherlands.
Freedom 45AC #47 "Scherezade".
Freedom 45AC #47 "Scherezade".
Re: Freedom 45 info needed
Thanks Hans, good info. I have been sailing/boating for about 35 years and most of my sailboats have been fast dinghys or fast cruisers. I really like the layout of the 45CC and feel it would be an ideal live aboard. I know Freedoms are well built and sail fast. The advantages of the unstayed mast are another plus for me. No chainplates, wide side decks, self tacking jib.
All boats are a compromise. My Ericson is an excellent cruising boat but is also very competitive around the buoys. She is perfect for how we use her now. Weekly beer can races, daysailing, weekend cruising and 2 weeks cruising the Maine coast every September.
We are considering moving aboard and taking a break from the daily grind to go cruising in a few years.
Tim
All boats are a compromise. My Ericson is an excellent cruising boat but is also very competitive around the buoys. She is perfect for how we use her now. Weekly beer can races, daysailing, weekend cruising and 2 weeks cruising the Maine coast every September.
We are considering moving aboard and taking a break from the daily grind to go cruising in a few years.
Tim