Freedom sailboats

[Ron]

Looking for anyone with experience sailing Freedom Sailboats. Due to freestanding masts does she sail differently, can you sail with just a jib??redasilva15@yahoo.com

 

[Franklin]

Freedoms

I've been on one a couple of times. I don't think you'll get much out of just the jib alone because there isn't much to it. The cool thing about the mast is that it bends when it blows, so it helps spill air during gusts. Another cool thing about the Freedoms is they have very thick gelcoats.

 

[Al]

Jib won't do much

I own a Freedom 30 and love it, but I doubt it would move under jib alone. The power in the Freedom rig comes from a large, fully battened main. The jib is small, self-tacking and basicially vestigal (although a handful of owners have retrofitted larger jibs). You can easily sail with main only, and tacking and jibing is little more than simply turning the wheel a quarter turn. There are also some twin-masted Freedoms, but I've never sailed one and can offer no thoughts on them. Because of the lack of a big headsail, most Freedoms aren't great in light air, and they're said not to point as well as other boats. I have new sails and think she points almost as well as a traditional rig. There's a fairly active Freedom discussion group on Yahoo.

 

[George Leopard]

Freedom 35 on jib alone

I have a Freedom 35 and it sails quite well with just a 150% roller furling jib. I've never used the original jib (now in 2'd year of ownership)

 

[Franklin]

Well yeah....

The original isn't much sail and that's why when somebody asks if a freedom sails well on just the jib we say no. You replacing it with a 150 changes all that. If I took a Cav and put a Vet engine in it, it would be a fast car. What you did is the same thing so it doesn't count because how many put Vet engines in Cavs?

 

[Andy]

Freedom concept is no jib

My first NEW boat was a Freedom 21. A blast to sail and it did not have a jib at all. The Freedom concept is to simplify so you don't really need the jib when its blowing and it is self tacking when it is blowing.Roll the jib and reef the main and the boats can still handle a blow (althought may not point real close.The one I had was much better built than a Hunter but we moved up for room in the end.