New to me Freedom 35

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worJohn
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:20 am

New to me Freedom 35

Post by worJohn »

hello all, just purchased my boat and have it berthed in Grand Marina Alameda. I've been looking at Freedoms with an eye on buying one for the past couple of years even checking out a 36 and 38 in Washington recently, all whilst reading the many posts here on this forum, Having just retired from the daily grind I'm now getting ready to do some of the repairs and upgrades that my boat will need.
I'm a long time Bay Area sailor having owned here a Ranger 23 and a C&C 29 and most recently been crewing on a mates Little Harbor 47. I've seen several Freedoms here on the Bay and I'm stoked to be joining the club.
John

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by Camino »

Congratulations worJohn on the 35 - is yours the 35 Pedrick or cat ketch? I have Goodway II berthed in Emeryville so we’re close. What projects are you thinking about? Pre C-19 Freedom owners in SF Bay would meet fairly regularly - more than likely to restart some of that again this spring, hopefully. When in town/state I sail weekly usually so we can plan a buddy sail sometime. I had planned on going tomorrow but looks 90%like rain, so maybe just messing around at dock….

Welcome.
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

worJohn
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:20 am

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by worJohn »

Thanks Camino, It's the Pedrick 1996 I'm the 3rd caretaker, the survey turned up lots of small repairs and maybe a couple of not so small ones, today going down after this rain event we just had, found a leek in the main cabin and forward hatch's, so adding that to the list.
Yes would be up for a sail anytime and meeting other owners would be great, yep tomorrow looks wet again, I brought all the paperwork home today off of her, tomorrow I'll be going through all of it must be 30lbs of it
Cheers John

BillSmith
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 7:56 am
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by BillSmith »

I'll make it three. As in 1993 F35-Pedrick. Leaks sound just like what I will be checking sometime tomorrow.

SweeTART is docked on opposite side of the bay from you and Tom at Coyote Point in San Mateo. Definitely get a look at Tom's boat, he's got it done nicely.

Next task for us is bottom paint. Any recommendations Tom and John?
Bill & Carole Smith
Freedom 35 Pedrick
SweeTART
Coyote Point
San Mateo, CA

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by Camino »

Hi Bill- I had our bottom done 6-21 at Berkeley Marine - had a good price on them doing the work (at that time due to Covid they had to do the work- which I really didn’t mind this time). If you go there, just tell them yours is the same boat as mine ie tell them to be careful lifting it :D
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

worJohn
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:20 am

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by worJohn »

Bill the previous owner had the bottom done in May of this year at KKMI in Richmond, cost was $2025.00, I also had the survey pull there so there's a 3 month grace period for a free haul out so I'm going to repair a small section of blisters the surveyor found and probably put another coat of paint on.
I haven't really sailed the boat yet and am not sure if I like the camber spar jib set up, has anyone changed theirs to a roller furling?
Camino, let me know when you are next down on your boat and I'll pop over and introduce myself, I shop at the Berkeley Bowl weekly.

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gamayun
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:14 pm

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by gamayun »

Hi John, welcome to the Freedom family and also to the SF Bay neighborhood! Kynntana and I are in the Oakland Marinas next to British Marine. I also have Blue Pearl, a Newport 20 ('73), which is another Gary Mull boat. I am kinda nuts about these boats. I've done a lot with Kynntana over the years including sanding off all of her 30+ years of bottom paint, repriming and painting with a semi-hard paint because I do my own bottom cleanings whenever I race. I'm a little surprised to hear about blisters on your boat, but maybe the F35s were built different from the F38s. I don't know anything about them. As to bottom work, I had friends go to a boatyard on the Napa River this year when BMC was not allowing DIY work. It seemed to work out well for them and I'm always up for a new adventure. I have hauled out twice at BMC since 2017 so it's also curious about them not know where to lift. Maybe they have new guys now. The last time I was there was January 2019. Anyway, I'm always happy to show off all the work on my boat, too. Current project is repainting the topsides, adding a really aggressive non-skid, and replacing all the deck hardware. I have not changed the camberspar set up because I believe a furling jib puts too much force on the mast that it wasn't designed for, but that's just my non-expert opinion. If you're going downwind and it bugs ya, I just drop it on the deck. I also changed to a Spectra line because of the stainless wire working back and forth at the fitting and breaking often. It works OK but I need to change the roller doohickey on the spar to a ring.

Carliane
Kynntana, Freedom 38

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by Camino »

Good to hear you too Carliane! And John and Bill - nice. I should have explained more on the BMC lift - (it’s in other posts I think). Brought Goodway to bmc 6/21 before the DDR. Due to Covid I had to leave the boat in the water and went to the office. The aft strap was put on my prop shaft and shaft was bent. Bmc replaced the shaft and motor mounts so I’m completely happy. They gave me decals to place on the boat to mark my lifting points for future reference. I did point out I had existing lifting decals fore and aft, p and s. So someone just didn’t pay attention. BMC is back to diy also. Goodway has Schaefer roller furling (see other posts) … really smooth and silky. No concerns so far (knock on wood) with mast stress using the small self tacking jib - but I’m no expert on design stresses, etc…. It is how this boat came from the factory in 1999.. so figure it’s ok? No blisters so far. I hear Napa marine is a very good place to work on your boat.

Carliane- I’ve been wanting to redo my non skid. Can you tell how you’re going about it? ….. and huge good lucks for Hawaii with crew!

John - I’m shooting for Monday or Tuesday back to Emery Cove Marina (depending on how much rain)
Last edited by Camino on Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

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gamayun
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:14 pm

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by gamayun »

Hey Tom, I read the posts via email and I realize it results in some odd thread drifts. Sorry about that. As to the paint job, I need to create a whole new thread with pictures. It turned out amazing...except, I am still not done. I used AlexSeal for primer and topcoat and Softsand (large) for the non-skid. I tried the small Softsand on the benches. but it is practically non-existent so I will be redoing that with the large pellets. My thought on that now is that I'd rather have an aggressive skid with crew when I race to Hawaii next year and then I can always sand it down if I were to spend time in the tropics where it would feel uncomfortable if wearing shorts. The key to a smooth topcoat (i.e., no rolling and tipping!) is to use a gawdawfully expensive little container of "roll additive." That's the ticket. It went on so smooth, and except for one drip at the edge of a portlight that only I can really see, it looks (almost) like a professional spray job. I am considering repainting the hull with it, too. That would be one of the jobs that I would do in 2022 during the haul out.
Last edited by gamayun on Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kynntana, Freedom 38

worJohn
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:20 am

Re: New to me Freedom 35

Post by worJohn »

Well looks like a healthy Bay Area group and these forums continue to be a great educational resource for a newbie like me, All, keep up the excellent dialogues/tips/resources etc.
Tom, I'm around all next week, let me know. My boat 'Whistler' I think started out with a roller furling and was converted to camber spar later, not sure how it was rigged, there is a second jib that apparently is from a roller?
Carliane, we are practically next door neighbors, I'll pop over sometime and say hi, we just need someone in the San Francisco or Sausalito area and we will have the Bay surrounded. there are about 5 small blisters on the bottom of the hull port side in an area of about 24" so no real worry
just knowing they are there will bug me till I fix em.

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