Freedom 40/40

jlodolce · #1 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

My wife and I are life long power boaters with minimal sailing experience. We are committed to switching to sail. We have taken some basic lessons which brought back memory of how nice sailing is. We Cruise Lake Ontario, but I am also very experienced in the salt from Cape Cod to Florida. I have very extensive naviagation experience. We are trying to figure out what boat to start with. We have looked at most of the common stock boats (Beneteau, Hunter, Catalina, Jeanneau). They are all very pretty and emphasize the creature comforts. But I am not sure they are real sailboats. I am leaning toward a 1995 Freedom 40/40 because of all that I have read and been told of their quality and sailability.

camaraderie · #2 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

The 40/40 is a fine and innovative boat and with the unstayed rig and camber jib it is very simple to sail. Certainly for Lake Ontario one would be well suited and a nice boat to own. But if you plan to sail further afield you should note some limitations:
The mast is 67' high making the East Coast ICW off limits for you.
Ditto the standard draft at 6'9" which will make East Coast and Bahamas cruising problematic BUT the shoal draft version would work fine.
I am not a fan of spade rudders for cruising (as they are exposed to damage potential) and a spade with a carbon fiber rudder shaft is going to be particularly difficult to get fixed except at a major yard.
You haven't said anything about sailing beyond Ontario, so these issues may not be issues for you at all. Just thought you'd want to consider them if you are planning to go further afield.

TrueBlue · #3 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Our old dockmate has had one for three years now - bought it to replace his Pearson 36, thinking it would be easier to sail as he reached retirement age.

Used to sail daily with the P36, but hasn't been out more than a dozen times in 3 years - turned into a dock condo. Many marina folks think the huge mainsail has something to do with it.

jlodolce · #4 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Tell me more about why you think the huge mainsail would keep a sailor at the dock?

max-on · #5 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlodolce

We are trying to figure out what boat to start with. We have looked at most of the common stock boats (Beneteau, Hunter, Catalina, Jeanneau). They are all very pretty and emphasize the creature comforts. But I am not sure they are real sailboats.

Welcome to the board Jlodolce!!!

You have a lot in common with many of us here!

jlodolce · #6 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Cameraderie,

We don't anticipate leaving the lake. It is a big enough ocean for me. I've done the intercoastal, and that becomes a pretty tedious trip. Especially when from Lake Ontario, you have to either go out the St. Lawrence, around Nova Scotia and Cape Cod, or down the Oswego canal then the Erie Canal then the Hudson just to get to the intercoastal. Both of these arms of the trip can take several weeks. I think the 40/40 would become a bit small for my wife and I for that long of time. I'd have to hide the flare gun from her in case she got tired of me.

I don't know if you are familiar with Lake Ontario, but it is a formidable body of water. I am much more comfortable on the open Atlantic than Lake Ontario at times. It's a big body of water. We cruised around the lake one year, and was almost 500 miles around. I want a good solid boat under me when I am out there.

jlodolce · #7 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Max-on; Thanks.

sab30 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlodolce

My wife and I are life long power boaters with minimal sailing experience. We are committed to switching to sail. We have taken some basic lessons which brought back memory of how nice sailing is. We Cruise Lake Ontario, but I am also very experienced in the salt from Cape Cod to Florida. I have very extensive naviagation experience. We are trying to figure out what boat to start with. We have looked at most of the common stock boats (Beneteau, Hunter, Catalina, Jeanneau). They are all very pretty and emphasize the creature comforts. But I am not sure they are real sailboats. I am leaning toward a 1995 Freedom 40/40 because of all that I have read and been told of their quality and sailability.

Hey Jldolce.

Welcome..your post caught my eye as my wife and I have been on the search for our next boat. I currently own a 36ft Hunter which works well for us presently based on our parameters..our next boat will have much different requirements and I have looked a lot, read a lot, asked alot, and viewed a lot of boats..we had settled on 3 that would make our short list..a Freedom 40, an IP 40 and a Caliber 40..ok ok and maybe the Elan 434..I really feel that we will settle with the Freedom 40 as I just seems to answer all the questions we are asking...problem is it is the only one of the above that we havent viewed but are making arrangements to do that now. I will avoid a LONG post but giving you my explanation for why we specifically think it will work (and why the others arernt quite right for us) but if you want PM me and Ill share what I have...keep in touch with your feedback of the '95 Freedom.

ImASonOfaSailor · #9 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

That is the way I feel about Lake Erie, its a big enough ocean for me!

cardiacpaul · #10 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008

The freedom 40 is a really fine boat (I had a 33 cat-ketch, they have some similarities)
I also grew up really close to lake ontario (in between owsego and hannibal, go look THAT up)

What someone alluded to is the sail on that boat is really large. They were single tracked rather than wrap around so you won't have that little tidbit to deal with.

Nonetheless, unless you're looking forward to having
go-rilla arms and have the stamina of Atlas, make sure there is a power solution for raising the sail.