Freedom 21 Mast Creaking and movement

Skifree30
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MA Sail Buzzards Bay

Re: Freedom 21 Mast Creaking and movement

Post by Skifree30 »

I had a Freedom 21 and sold it and bought a used Mull F30. I had no issue with the bottom of the F21 mast. On the 30 the very first sail from City Island NY to Cape Cod the bottom of the mast was banging in heavy seas downwind. What I did was KISS. I pull the mast each winter. I found a rolled up campers dough rolling mat maybe 1/32 max. I cut a piece the height of the mast step and the circumference then cut slots for the alignment bolt and taped it in place with electricians tape. The mast went on perfectly that year and it has now lasted for 20 years with no banging. I fiddle with the tape a little before installing each year but it works great.

John Whittaker, Freedom 30, Hull 84, Dream Dancer

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mike cunningham
Posts: 489
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Jacqueline, F30 #3, Discovery Bay, California

Re: Freedom 21 Mast Creaking and movement

Post by mike cunningham »

Skifree30 wrote:
Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:26 pm
I had a Freedom 21 and sold it and bought a used Mull F30. I had no issue with the bottom of the F21 mast. On the 30 the very first sail from City Island NY to Cape Cod the bottom of the mast was banging in heavy seas downwind. What I did was KISS. I pull the mast each winter. I found a rolled up campers dough rolling mat maybe 1/32 max. I cut a piece the height of the mast step and the circumference then cut slots for the alignment bolt and taped it in place with electricians tape. The mast went on perfectly that year and it has now lasted for 20 years with no banging. I fiddle with the tape a little before installing each year but it works great.

John Whittaker, Freedom 30, Hull 84, Dream Dancer
That sounds like a really good, simple solution. I have movement downwind in a seaway and it sounds like someone pounding on the mast with a ball peen hammer. Incredibly loud and I have some hearing loss to overcome. I had to listen to this 24/7 for a week I couldn't get used to it because it was so intermittent... "oh, thank God for quiet, I can sleep".....BANG!,,,,BANG.BANG ....aaaaargh!

It is amazing how little the mast has to move to make this sound. I put my hand on the mast base and it could not have moved than 1/32 or so. I then realized we are probably placing 1000 lbs of downward force on the base when mast/boom/sail weight and main/jib halyard tension are taken into account.
Mike Cunningham
Freedom 30 (Mull) Hull #3
Build date...June, 1986 . Freedom Yachts USA, sloop, shoal keel
Gun Mount and pole retrofitted (purchased from a Hoyt Freedom 32)
Yanmar 2gm20F , 1600 hrs fixed two blade prop
e-rud and ocean racing equipment

Pelagicsailor
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:36 am

Re: Freedom 21 Mast Creaking and movement

Post by Pelagicsailor »

I am dealing with the same issue are my Mull 28. It sounds like a gunshot when it moves only 1/32 of an inch. Pulling the mast this week. Will make a plug than a template and fiberglass the mast step. I am considering making a stainless steel plate to put on the bases so the mast can slide back-and-forth without catching and popping.

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