other F25 questions

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SVBAGATELLE
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:08 am
Location: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

other F25 questions

Post by SVBAGATELLE »

It turns out that the boat I will look at is a "round mast" F25 without a staysail. As Herm says, the wing mast version sails better. Unfortunately I will not be able to do a test sail before making an offer since the boat is on land (and has been for several seasons). Can any owner with such a rig give me an idea of how well (or poorly) she sails upwind? I am not interested in racing, just in cruising relatively quickly and comfortably from point A to point B.
And also, more generally, how difficult is it to handle the gunmount spinnaker single handed?
thanks
paul
F30/32 "Bagatelle"

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hxschiller
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:55 pm
Location: Mull 28 - "Impulse" on NW Creek in New Bern, NC

Re: other F25 questions

Post by hxschiller »

On the '82 F-25, I found too much friction while trying to move the pole forward to the operating position on the gunmount (it's center resting in the gunmount sleeve). This means that sliding the pole forward requires an assistant steering the boat, or this operation is done before leaving the mooring/dock. Thereafter, one can manage the spinnaker while steering with the tiller with reasonable ease. Remember, to use the directions to the letter when rasing and lowering the spinny, and everything stays perfectly under control.

johncd3141
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:56 pm

Re: other F25 questions

Post by johncd3141 »

I reduced the friction on my gunmount spinnaker pole by using a couple of coats of car wax. It helped quite a bit. Before I put the wax on, I used some enamel paint to put a pair of rings on the pole that are just inside the gunmount sleeve when the pole is centered.

John D.

Wilfred934
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:52 pm
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Re: other F25 questions

Post by Wilfred934 »

I recently sailed with a Freedom 25 owner - David Penny, round mast F25 "DASH" sailing out of Granton Harbour Edinburgh - who had disconnected the pole outhaul/imhaul lines since he also found the effort involved in sliding out the pole to be just too high. His solution was to simply drill a hole in the centre of the pole and a corresponding hole in the centre of the gunmout fitting so that before leaving his mooring he can just manhandle the pole into position and drop a stainless steel pin through the hole to lock the pole in the gunmount in it's correct position. OK this means that one is sailing around with a rather long "bowsprit" sticking out over the bows but he finds this is a simple and foolproof solution. Incidentally this also allows him to take the boom vang line back to the cockpit using one of the "freed-up" pole control lines.

Wilf Bishop
F21 DAYDREAM - UK

unfetteredalexandria
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:57 pm

Re: other F25 questions

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

The round mast F25 in my experience sails decently to windward *if* you have 10-12 knots and sails in good condition. When we bought our 1984 round-mast, she supposedly had the original sails. Even in the best of conditions, we tacked through 120 deg. Over this past winter, I bought a new main and spinnaker from Haarstick. Now I tack through about 100 deg in 10-12. In very light wind, tacking is still a chore. I will probably add a staysail someday to try and address this. I notice the one you are looking at has an outboard. If it is a small 2-stroke, and you are thinking of replacing with a modern 4-stroke, be aware that you will likely need to glass in some plywood on the inside of the transom to take the extra weight and vibration loads, and maybe need a new motor mount that can take the heavier motor. She will probably trim a bit by the stern from the extra weight also. We have really enjoyed ours, and single-handing is no problem at all. There is a good thread on this site concerning difficulties with raising the main. The consensus seems to be "all-slip" lugs. I plan to try these next time I take my main into the loft. Concerning the lines that move the pole: I believe there was originally some kind of teflon sleeve in the gunmount that made this easier. There were a few fragments of this left in ours when we bought her, which are all gone now. I find that wrapping the line around the winch and cranking initially will get you past the first couple of feet; after that, the pole is not a problem to pull through.
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

SVBAGATELLE
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:08 am
Location: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

Re: other F25 questions

Post by SVBAGATELLE »

Thanks to all of you for your information and advice. The boat I saw was not in very good shape, on land for a few years. The main problems that I saw were a crack in the deck over the galley large enough to admit water and a crack where the lead keel was attached to hull. The bilge was full of water (which probaby froze over the winter). In any case, I decided not to pursue buying the boat.

R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Re: other F25 questions

Post by R. Bush »

Is the 21 you looked at the one in Youngstown, NY?

I have been looking for a decent Freedom 21 for a while now, and thought I would check that one out as the price seems reasonable if it is in decent shape. If it is the same one you looked at it doesn't sound as if it would be worth the effort.

Does anyone out there know of a decent 21 in the west coast area? I actually live on Okanagan lake in the interior of BC, so I am looking at some shipping costs for any boat I buy, but the west coast would surely be cheaper!

Thanks for any information anyone out there may have.
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Re: other F25 questions

Post by R. Bush »

Please rethink that last post. Don't know what I was thinking!

I am looking for a Freedom 25 in decent shape. Have no idea where that 21 came from!
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Re: other F25 questions

Post by R. Bush »

I have found a couple of F25s for sale in New England, so I am going to have to relay on a marine surveyor to tell me if they are worth putting an offer in on. I can't imagine most surveyors have seen a lot of Freedoms, so are there any known problem areas I need to tell whoever I end up using to take a particularly close look at?

Both the boats have the factory installed Yanmar diesel engines. Are these a reliable unit? After 25+ years of service these things must be coming up on the point where problems are inevitable. Does anyone have an opinion on how hard it is to get parts for them, and find someone to do the service?

Thanks;
Ralph
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

SVBAGATELLE
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:08 am
Location: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

Re: other F25 questions

Post by SVBAGATELLE »

Ralph,
for Yanmar parts, I have had good experiences with Torresen Marine Diesel Direct though they won't ship to all states; you have to be in their territory (check their website).
The Yanmar 1GM should be reliable if well maintained, even if 25 yrs old. However, if sailed in saltwater corrosion could be an issue, since it is raw water cooled. Apparently a common problem is corrosion of the fuel line.
hope this helps
Paul
s/v Bagatelle

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