Freedom 33

[Bardo]

This boat has caught my eye. It doesn't look like a light wind specialist, but my its pretty. And in good shape too. Can anyone give me any info on it?
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...98&searchtype=

Thanks,
Freeman

[sailingdog]

Believe CardiacPaul has some experience with the Freedom series of boats.

[Bardo]

SD, is that what you would call a Cat ketch?

[sailingdog]

Yes, the Freedoms are cat ketches..

[cardiacpaul]

Ayep, its a Cat-Ketch

I love 'em, easy as heck to sail and single hand. want to tack? turn the wheel, the sails gently swing across. No fuss, no muss.

Light air performance isn't bad at all, Lots of sail area there.

The only caution I have about any of the Freedoms, is that they should have the Original equipment wrap around sails replaced with standard track type. This is expensive, and needs to be done by a professional that has experience with carbon fiber.

I'd buy another one in a newyork minute.
any other questions feel free.

That one has been list in various places for over a year by owner, looks like he's got a broker now. That one's also a centerboard model, which takes up a fair amount of room in the salon, but offers shallow draft and doesn't detract form sailability (as far as I know)

heres a listing for a std. keel version, note the room in the salon
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...oat_id=1385265

[Bardo]

CP,
Agree the keel version looks more spacious. CB well really carves up the salon. How does it go upwind?

[sailingdog]

Probably does much better downwind than up... ketches in general don't point as high as sloops... and cat boats generally don't point as high as sloops IIRC... so I'd imagine a cat ketch doesn't point as high as a sloop.

[Bardo]

Intriguing....I can hear my departed father chuckling with approval. he loved boats like that. Don't know if I could make the leap though.....

[camaraderie]

Sailhog is on HHI...maybe he knows the boat...you could PM him.

[cardiacpaul]

I had no issues regarding how high it would point.
Maybe a couple of degrees off, but the easy of tacking made up for it. I was faster than many cruisers and more than a time or two I took a j/boat to task. (ok, they were drunk but what the hell)

Downwind,... stable, and if you got a wild hair, go wing on wing, woo-hoo.

For me it was the light wood in the cabin that made it much more roomy and the ease of sailing made it my favorite.