Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

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cat
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:07 pm

Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by cat »

Hi, new here to this forum and considering a purchase of a Freedom as our next cruising sailboat. Does anyone know the mast height above water for both the Freedom 40 and the Freedom 44. Thanks.

bad
Posts: 184
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:14 am

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by bad »

Mast height above the water may vary by model/mast type. We have an F40 center cockpit, with aluminum masts, 1978 vintage. I think 55 ft is a safe number for the masts. If we want the windex and vhf to clear, too... 57ft is a better one. If you don't want a heart attack and don't totally trust published bridge clearance data and tide tables... maybe 60ft?! A couple of ft of clearance from deck level looks like an inch or two.

Welcome to the forum

Erik

cat
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:07 pm

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by cat »

Thank you Erik. I've read a couple of different specs, one putting mast height above waterline of the F40 at 52' the other at 55'. I've also read that the mast itself is 52' so maybe the step is close to the waterline? We want to be able to make it up the Caloosahatchee which has 55' bridges.

RonR
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 7:03 am

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by RonR »

I was just recently on a Freedom 44 and saw a carefully written note by the nav station to the effect that the waterline to masthead was 57'. I expect there is some variation, and I know that this one had a mast replaced.

Ron

cat
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Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:07 pm

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by cat »

Thanks Ron, seems as if there was a variety of mast heights!

cberdie
Posts: 46
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:12 am
Location: 1980 Freedom 40 AC
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Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by cberdie »

Our aft cockpit Freedom 40 has 55' for the mainmast and a couple feet higher due to the VHF antennae on the mizzen.
1980 Hull #38, Running Free. www.runningfree.us Carl

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sailmon
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Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:53 pm

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by sailmon »

Might be a good idea to take a measurement on the specific boat you are looking at. Connect a tape measure to the main halyard and pull it up (probably a good idea to attache a retrieval line as well - in case tape measure lets go). Add inches/feet as necessary to accomodate distance from main halyard sheve to masthead and from mast head to top of VHF antenna. Than measure from deck level to water. Total should give you a pretty accurate number for that specific boat.
Sailmon (Captain Bob Allenick)
S/V Her Diamond
1991 Freedom 38
Cleveland, OH

cat
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:07 pm

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by cat »

Thanks for the info guys. We may take a look at a couple of Freedoms in the next couple of weeks. I've asked the broker of one for the mast height and he says he's trying to get a hold of the owner to find out. If one of the boats passes the mast height test I'm sure I'll have other questions. Thanks again.

Freedom44
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:33 am

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by Freedom44 »

I have a F44 which I was informed has an air height of 17 mtrs.
Dont rely on that, as it may generate a "brown trouser" moment when approaching a bridge. Measure it as the others suggested

Richard Franklin F44 Windwalker.
Freedom 44 "Windwalker" located Plymouth UK

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

Re: Bridge clearance for F40 and F44

Post by katorpus »

If you're gonna measure it yourself, don't mess around trying to pull a 75' tape measure up with the halyard...do this instead...

1 ) Get a length of non-stretch line out of your line locker (it needs to be about 60'). This is your "measuring line".

2) Tie the measuring line to the halyard shackle and mark the line where it emerges from the shackle. Be sure & tie it well, because if it comes loose you're gonna have to retrieve the halyard end from the masthead.

3) Haul the measuring line to the top of the mast and secure the halyard.

4) Tie the other end of the measuring line to the tip of a boathook leaving enough line to extend from the knot to the waterline (plus a little)

5) Extend the boathook enough to submerge the knot, then, going above the lifeline at a point perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boat, extend the boathook and push down to pull the measuring line taught. Aim for a spot in the water about 2' outboard of the lifeline (it will be further than that from the hull), but the measuring line should be against the lifeline but not deflected.

6) Note where (on the line) the measuring line meets the water (it will be where the "wet" stops/starts if you did this carefully). Mark that spot immediately upon pulling the boathook & measuring line back aboard.

7) Pull the measuring line down from the masthead, remove it from the shackle, reattach the shackle to wherever you normally keep it & retie the halyard.

8) Stretch the measuring line out straight on the dock or shore and measure the distance between the two marks (with any length tape measure that you have available).

9) Measure the distance from the mast center to the lifeline (at the spot where you pulled the line over it). Add two feet to this measurement.

10) The square of the hypoteneuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Hypoteneuse = length of measured line, the first side = the distance you obtained in step #9.

11) Do the math to obtain the length of the second side (which is the distance from the waterline to the masthead sheave)....add for any antenna or whatever extends above the masthead plus whatever comfort factor makes you happy.

If you do this when the boat is level (on a non- crosswindy day), you can measure to either side of the boat in step #9, otherwise use the windward side.

This will work with any boat...obviously, you want to measure the taller mast on a ketch or schooner. The "taller" mast may be the one with the antenna on it (or maybe not). If you want to be really safe, go for the one that's taller without appendages and add the length of the appendages to that.

Note that NO "Common Core" math is used in this computation. Just plain old junior high geometry. Let us know what you find out.

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