New Owner

[SFBaysailor]

Hello, All.

I’m the happy new owner of a 1979 Freedom 28 CK, hull number 4. Wishbone booms.

I bought her from the original owner who sailed her from the East Coast, through the Panama Canal, and up the West Coast. She’s a vet of the Sea of Cortez and has been across to Hawaii from San Diego and back via Port Townsend, WA.

She’s been sitting neglected for a few years, fortunately in fresh-ish water in the Sacramento delta. I’ve got some work ahead, but she has good bones. The Delta sun has had its way with the sail covers, dodger, and topside Gelcoat, but the sails are crisp. Belowdecks looks like something from reality TV, but there’s an SSB/tuner, Taylor’s paraffin heater with water tank, and a Sea Cook Jr stove, also,paraffin. Also has what I think is the original propane stove, but that might need to go.

Lots and lots of equipment-too much to list, but she has a Monitor windvane, wind, solar, and towed power generation, and even a full set of uninstalled bronze opening ports.

Looking forward to bringing her back a bit at a time. I’m considering writing about the journey in Latitude 38, where I found her. I’d love to connect with anyone in the SF Bay Area with the same boat-I have a lot to learn about these. (Not my first boat, by the way. I’ve had catamarans, a Catalina, even a Star Boat over the years. Worked on J-Boats for Don Trask back in the day, and did the ‘99 Transpac)

Cheers to all, Jeff

[drcscruggs]

Sounds like you got a nice one. I really like the looks of those cat ketches. Best

[bad]

Welcome to the list and Freedom boat ownership. Where will you be keeping your boat? We're over at the RYC. I've thought about blogging about our rebuild but it is going embarrassingly slow .

[SFBaysailor]

Welcome to the list and Freedom boat ownership. Where will you be keeping your boat? We're over at the RYC. I've thought about blogging about our rebuild but it is going embarrassingly slow .

She’s at Antioch right now. A lot farther from the Bay than I’d like, but a beautiful marina with friendly folks and really, really reasonable slip fees. Once she’s in sailing condition, I might move to Berkeley or Emeryville. That’ll be awhile, though.

And I’m not fooling myself that this is going to be quick! This is going to be a budget resto, no doubt. I’ll spend money when I have to, but I’m not too proud to dive in a boatyard dumpster or three. I really wasn’t in the market for a boat, but this was basically given to me.

[gamayun]

Welcome, Jeff! You have a very worthy boat for the bay and offshore. Perhaps the rest of the Freedom crowd who ply our waters will chime in soon. We're scattered all over. I live on my F38 in Oakland behind Coast Guard Island. Over the 5 years I've had Kynntana, I've installed solar, a Monitor windvane and upgraded electronics along with the whole electrical system, among other things. Mike on Jacqueline (an F30) has done a lot of work on his, too. We're both planning to do the Singlehanded TransPac race, which leaves June 23, which will be the first time that TWO Freedoms have done it. Mike is a SHTP veteran who did the race in 2016. It sounds like your boat is already set up to join us All the best on the upgrades!

[SFBaysailor]

Oh yeah! I'll be right out there with you! Not this go-round, for sure. I have spent a lot of time reading the SSS forums and almost went to the weather workshop last week at IYC. Daughter's graduation from Cal went later than anticipated. What a great trip! I'll be following the race updates online. One of the reasons I happened to find this boat was because I picked up a Latitude for the first time in awhile after reading "Alone Together' by Christian Williams. Great book by a solo sailor who did Hawaii & back twice in a few years' time.

Are you at Embarcadero Cove (or whatever it's called now)? My Catalina 27 was there for a few years when it was a rough and tumble marina. Is Quinn's still a thing? Used to have lunch there during my OPD days. Good times. Love to buy you a brew when you're back from the SHTP and take a look at some of the stuff you've done. I won't even be able to go down to my boat until sometime next week and start carting away the incredible amounts of stuff filling every locker, nook, and cranny...

[gamayun]

I have my office at Embarcadero Cove and the boat is in the Oakland Marinas just adjacent. Quinn's is definitely still a thing and still has the same sea shanties singing the same songs every Thursday! Of course, the peanuts still go on the floor, too. Unfortunately, the boats in the Embarcadero Cove Marina are also still decrepit and one sinks in its slip every so often I really love the area though.

If you haven't seen them, Christian also has these great YouTube videos. I'm his #1 fan!

I expect to be back mid August at the latest. Just drop me a note then and I'll show you the boat.

[Goose13]

Welcome Jeff, I own a F33KC cb with wishbone booms and wrap around sails. I think I'm the only CK in the bay with wrap around sails. I would love to see your boat and how you have is set up, I'll sent u a PM with my number. Doug

[AgentLocke]

I know exactly which boat you got because I looked at it in April!

I passed on it because I didn't/don't have the boat repair chops to do what was done, but she looked like she was a really sweet little boat in her prime.

The rigging was in a total shambles... When I saw her, it looked like she didn't have a single unfrayed rope on her, and there was moss growing on her sailcovers. I didn't even open the boat to look inside.

I emailed the owner, the guy in Kentucky, after I saw the boat and gave him my 2 cents, gently and politely. I hope you got a good deal when you picked it up!

Looking forward to pictures as you restore her!

[SFBaysailor]

Don't know why I'm just seeing this now, but yes-we're talking about the same boat. The scene below decks was about as dire as the scene topsides, only with more wasps and spiders. We filled the marina dumpster TWICE, and we're just about done with the cleanout phase. Good news is, the mossy sailcovers gave their all and did a good job protecting the sails. That said, the description in the Latitude classifieds was a little on the 'rosy' side...