two freedom family!

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

two freedom family!

Post by SVBAGATELLE »

I am now a proud owner of F25 number 215 ("Fugue") on Lake Ontario, as well as a Freedom 30/32 ("Bagatelle") in the Bahamas! I am busily cleaning, waxing, varnishing and painting Fugue, though I will not launch until next spring. After reading many posts on this forum I am still unsure if I want to keep my Martec folding prop or replace it with a fixed prop, and if so, what size. I am going to paint the mast white with awlgrip, partly to ensure that water doesn't get into the cracks, and monitor whether the weight of the inboard diesel in the stern causes her to tilt aft. I have a staysail and I am not sure if I will even rig the gunmount spinnaker pole. Any advice welcome.
Paul

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Castaway
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: two freedom family!

Post by Castaway »

We have a Freedom 21 (as well as our F35 CK/CB). Although we have a small stays'l, it's by no means essential except going to windward in very light airs. The gunmount spinnaker is an altogether different affair, and really makes the boat a joy. Once you have all the lines correctly rigged, laid out and running, and presuming you have the spinnaker in a sock on deck, you can manage it completely from the comfort of the cockpit. Because of the double ended pole, you can carry it on a beam reach as well as a run, and I have seen a video of one being sailed in a circle without dowsing the sail.

It is well worth the clutter on the foredeck; though it takes up more space there, you only need to go forward to anchor or moor. It will also help counterbalance the engine (though on mine I can lift the entire sail, pole and lines by one hand), since it is right forward.

Enjoy the new boat!

Regards,

Gerald
Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

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