Freedom 25 update

Anything that doesn't fit into the other Physical Systems categories
yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

Been a long time since my last post on the forum and or my blog, but I wanted to keep people updated as I'm planning a 2 year process of updating my 1982 wing mast F25, and plan to keep everyone updated on the forum of the work and some of the updates I'm planning. Year 1 will be systems, weight reduction, rigging, sail plan, electrical & Year 2 will be Paint, and Deck updates and cruise mode. below is a starter list I am also planning to make duplicates when possible and or create upgrades other people can use.

cheers,
Yarrow
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

This winter upgrades have started:
1. ordered my new sq top doyle main
2. started design of a new F25 rudder, aiming for 30lbs and a much better foil design
3. removing all the wire from my boat: back stays, lazy jacks, and upgrading most of my blocks to soft shackles
4. I'm also working on creating a new rope inventory for the boat, I feel all the orig plans include over sized rope and systems that can be upgraded to work better and easier to maintain
cheers,
yarrow
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

User avatar
VeloFellow
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:41 pm

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by VeloFellow »

Why the soft shackles? Weight reduction?
Are you making your own soft shackles?
Mike
s/v Clave'
1981Freedom 28 #112
Currently sailing Tampa Bay
Buit by Fairways Marine Hamble England
cat ketch, centerboard , wishbone booms, tides track slides
yanmar 2ym15 2blade prop

yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

I will be making my own soft shackles, I want to get better alignment for the lines, save weight and less stuff to maintain and step on. I hope to make a kit I can make available to people interested.
cheers
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

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

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

I concur on the oversized lines observation; there's been 30 years of improvement in rope design. Last month I took advantage of winter sales prices to order all new in-boom lines. I ended up with 1/4" VPC double-braid to replace the reefing lines, in hopes they will run more smoothly. Thought seriously about doing single-braid to minimize kinks, but chickened out. Also doing 3/16" AMSTEEL with 5/16" cover for the outhaul; the cover is only for the part of the line that runs outside the boom; again, looking for smoother operation. All of these exceed the specs for the original line inventory. Also, for a couple years now I've been running with single-braid Salsa for the main sheet and it's fantastic.
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

User avatar
moosemcclintock
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:09 am

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by moosemcclintock »

I re-rigged my boat before I sailed it. Coming from the line factory that was my F21, and having re-rigged that after a couple weeks of sailing (and seeing how much line was in the cockpit of several boats that were for sale on line), it's pretty obvious that the strides in line technology and common sense make the whole process a lot easier now than in 1983. The best thing I did was double end every control line, particularly for the pole. In the attached picture, the only line of any consequential length in the cockpit is the blue mainsheet. The black loop hanging next to it is the pole in/out, there is never any more line involved than what is seen there. On the outboard port side is the double ended line for the spinnaker clew in/out, at the mooring there is about 4' extra (obviously more when the clews are out to the end of the pole) but very manageable. The mass of line on the port winch is the reins for the pole, when the pole is extended there is only about 5' of line in the cockpit. The running backstay line is the black line running across the cockpit, the total tail is in the winch handle pocket (and the port runner is on) and is also double ended (I'll cut it down even more when I get around to it)), there is usually about 10' of that in the cockpit though when both backstays are all the way off there's only a couple feet. The one snag on this is that one or the other is always on so I really don't need the excess. If you look at the stanchion base near the mast, you can see a line running through a block that leads up to the rotating arm. I use this to pre-tack the mast when I singlehand, it's good for getting the mast where I want it upwind. I've upgraded almost all the lines on the boat with lighter, stronger and smaller diameter. The lazy jack lines are 1/8" Dyneema, really light and minimum windage. The backstays and the main halyard are some kind of high end Dyneema (a friend of mine works for a rope company and he let me go through a discard bin), pretty much zero stretch, really light 1/4" for max strength, minimum movement, the line for the pole in/out is the same line but with a cover. The black backstay lines in the cockpit are Maffioli, it was the mainsheet on my F21, probably bigger and stronger than it has to be but very soft on the hand and it runs easily. The mast rotating line is a 5/16" poly that was the reef line off the F21. The spinnaker clew in/out and the reins are the same line, 3/16" Marlow polyester with a soft cover, also very soft on the hands. If you're interested in changing out your lines, it's easy to do a rough guess, I didn't measure anything, just sort of eyeballed the lengths and eerything came out within a few feet ow what it had to be. Yarrow has sailed on my boat, he probably has a good idea of what anyone needs.
Attachments
cockpit2.jpg
cockpit2.jpg (136.85 KiB) Viewed 9406 times

yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

Moose,
Thanx for your post great info to read, I have already updated the blocks and replaced the cable in the boom with spectra
cheers,
yarrow
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

today I dropped off my existing sails to Doyle sails in Warwick RI, this included 3 different head sails. I'm excited about working with Doyle to design a version 3 based on the work Moose has been working on with Doyle.
cheers,
Yarrow
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

yarrow
Posts: 210
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 6:38 pm
Location: providence RI

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by yarrow »

today I heard my new Sq top main sail it almost ready, and my new 35lb rudder should be done by end of April :) I'm looking forward to an early launch this year since last season I didn't launch until Oct so I can get working on the systems of my boat before I do a full hull redo next winter my goals for the summer:
1. remove all the wire above the life lines
2. design and install an adjustable mast rotation system
3. start to protype a new dodger design
4. update lazy jacks to work better
5. install auto tiller
6. make measurements of all my lines, and loads to start working on new line updates on the boat
7. better understand the head sails I own including 5 different types
8. test fit new design for a F25 table that is light and stores in the boat
9. work to remove weight in the transom
10. add more storage inside the boat
11. etc.
82' F25 winged spar, inboard diesel
95' B3 I-14
providence RI

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

Re: Freedom 25 update

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

FWIW, here's a couple of photos of my tillerpilot installation,
Tillerpilot installation
Tillerpilot installation
IMG_0811.jpg (47.81 KiB) Viewed 9271 times
Tillerpilot connector under lazarette seat
Tillerpilot connector under lazarette seat
IMG_0810.jpg (31.94 KiB) Viewed 9271 times
and also a photo of a lazyjack improvement I'm going to be trying out this season.
Shock cords on lazy jacks
Shock cords on lazy jacks
IMG_0814.jpg (50.01 KiB) Viewed 9271 times
I mounted the connector for the Tillerpilot in the space below the lazarette seat, with the cord running out through the drain, to get it out of the way, since it sticks out a couple inches or so. The drain is not really impeded by the cord, and if I were ever to take the boat someplace where the full area of the drain were needed, I doubt I'd be using the Tillerpilot anyway.

The purpose of the shock cords on the lazy jacks is to pull the wire halyard and blocks forward, abeam the mast and in front of the sail, when the rope line is eased, to avoid chafing on the belly of the sail. I had to use a longer rope line than the boat had on it, to provide enough slack. Now, when eased, the aft segments of the rope lines hang down level with the boom. There is enough slack in the rope lines that I don't anticipated any significant chafe on the sail, but we'll see how it works in practice. I tied the shock cords to the wire loops at the bottom of the wire halyards, not the blocks. This allows the blocks to take the angle they need for the rope lines.

You can also see the sunbrella chute bag I had made so I can leave the chute unstowed and fully rigged when docked, just like the mainsail. I've been using this for 5 years now, and the chute shows no sign of trouble from "being left out" like this. Hanging it from the lifelines keeps it dry, but in use it lies flat on the deck for better visibility.
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

Post Reply