Sailing 1976 Freedom 40 hull #4

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F Seco
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Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:22 pm

Sailing 1976 Freedom 40 hull #4

Post by F Seco »

I just purchaed a Freedom 40 hull # 4. This boat experienced a cabin fire that did not cause structural damage, however, it rendered the mizzen sail unuseable.. I am planning to sail it from Kent Narrows, Md. to Shell Point, Fla. I have 35 years of open water experience but know nothing pertaining to sailing with a wishbone boom. There are not any manuels on the boat .I do not have the major specifications. I defiitely need to know the vertical clearance of the mast. Any advise other than trucking it to Shell Point would be of help.

Frank

katorpus
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Sailing 1976 Freedom 40 hull #4

Post by katorpus »

Frank...

The external halyard is led to the mast top and through a turning block.

Tie a light line onto the halyard shackle and hoist it up until it's "two blocked", then tension the line and pull the other end to the toe rail and mark it. Take the light line off of the halyard shackle (re-fastening the shackle to something that won't let it get away), then measure the length of the line (say on the dock or in the parking lot) after applying the approximate tension that it took to pull it straight to the toerail. Add this distance to the distance from toe rail to the water and you'll be pretty darned close to the clearance that you require. (If there's an antenna up there, you'll need to know its length and add that as well in order to avoid leaving it behind at a bridge).

The added distance (resulting from measuring the hypoteneuse rather than the long leg) of the triangle, is less than 6" when the long leg is 50' and the short leg is 6.5' (assuming 13' beam). If you're that close, you'd better induce some significant heel before going under anyway.

Obviously, bobbing on some serious waves, wakes, or rollers when passing under a bridge can make enough difference to cause you problems (if things are otherwise "close"), as will the tide level.

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THATBOATGUY
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Location: F40 CC CK Maryland
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Re: Sailing 1976 Freedom 40 hull #4

Post by THATBOATGUY »

Hi! Welcome aboard. Our boat is #7 I think, probably the last one of the '76 boats. We are in Edgewater so not too far from you. Would love to see your boat, and show ours off of course! I'm PMing you my phone number.

George
George and Kerri Huffman S/V Marquesa Freedom 40 CC CK Sail MarquesaImage

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THATBOATGUY
Posts: 574
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:50 am
Location: F40 CC CK Maryland
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Re: Sailing 1976 Freedom 40 hull #4

Post by THATBOATGUY »

Oh BTW we have a PDF file that was originally type written sailing directions written by Gary Hoyt himself. I think you will find those valuable.

George
George and Kerri Huffman S/V Marquesa Freedom 40 CC CK Sail MarquesaImage

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