Conference unifix::sailing

I have no personal experience with unstayed masts, but I can think of 
several disadvantages immediately.

If the mast is carbon fiber/epoxy construction (and maybe any other 
material) drilling holes in it to mount any hardware is a definitely
not allowed.

It is rather difficult (perhaps impossible) to bend the mast to affect 
mainsail shape.

It will be difficult to fly a storm jib. It will be difficult to use a 
trysail. 

Unless the boat is a Freedom, big downwind headsails are a problem.

Without a headsail upwind ability is compromised. 

Unstayed masts do fall down -- even Freedom is finally admitting that.
Granted, stayed masts fall down too.

But I am a skeptic and sometimes slow to try new technologies -- my boat 
has a tiller and hanks on the headsails.

Alan Berens

Somewhere I have a couple of articles on the subject. Will try to
remember to bring them in and make copies for you.

John

I completed the purchase of a Freedom 32 last week.  After sailing on a Hughs 
38 for 4 years in cramped quarters and grinding winches when my arms could take
no more, I decided to find a boat that I could single hand without too much
difficulty and could easily sail with another person.  The Freedom 32 is great.
It is comfortable, handles like a dream (at least my one day on it gave me that
impression), and from stories I heard from other owners, it does very well in
all kinds of weather.

I love to sail fast.  The blade jib gives you a slot that a traditional cat
boat won't.  You also have a spinnaker that is so simple to operate that you
do not need a crew of gorillas to manage it.  I will have to wait for the
commissioning to be complete to see how fast it really is.

Construction was another concern of mine.  The freedom is balsa cored - both
hull and deck.  That provides strength, noise reduction, and helps reduce
condensation.

I really hope that the mast stays up there.  It is a bit unsettling not
having shrouds and stays but on the other hand the shrouds are not trying
to push the mast down through the keelson either.

If all goes well the launching will be next month so I will add comments on
my experiences with my new Freedom (called Illusion).

Pam Rickard

One year later, were your, er, Illusions correct?

    I own a Freedom 36.  This is our second year on it.  I was looking
    for a boat which would accomodate two couples comfortably, be easy
    to sail, sail well and be well made.  I think the Freedom satisfies
    these requirements.  It is a heavy boat and relatively beamy, give
    it 15 knots of wind or more and it is a flash.  Other boats may
    point a little higher but not much.  We lose a little on a run but
    if we added the spinaker this would take care of it.
    
    The rigging itself is a non problem.  The spun carbon mast without
    stays has been without problem.  I don't know if I addressed your
    issues.

As a fellow Freedom owner, hull 31, of a 36 footer named BERMUDA HIGH
    I thought I should introduce myself.  Will you be bringing ILLUSION
    to the Rendezvous in August?  Where will you be keeping it?

    I haven't looked back here in years and gee, there has been some
    activity.  I'm still happily sailing Illusion, and it is no illusion
    that the boat is fast and safe and easy to handle.  Sister ships
    have recently placed 1st and 5th in the Survival Tech Bermuda 1/2.
    Both boats are owned by friends and they were amazed at the beating
    that the boat took with scarcely a groan.  As for myself, it took
    a couple of years for the warranty work to get straightened out
    but I sailed every weekend and last year I had non-sailor crew
    practically every weekend and managed easily.  All had a chance
    to learn to sail without being overwhelmed with huge lumbering genoas
    to crank around.
    
    This year I am adapting the boat for use by handicapped sailors.
    My significant other is a paraplegic and has difficulty with balance
    but handles the boat easily (at least up to 25-30 knot gusts when 
    Illusion tends to round up).  I didn't get to sail that much this
    summer due to house buying, sailing to Bermuda, and too much work, but 
    hopefully we'll get the improvements done over the winter and do lots
    of sailing next summer.
    
    When Gary Hoyt, the original Freedom designer, sold the Freedom
    name to Tillotson-Pearson I was concerned that I owned a dog that
    I'd never be able to sell.  Well, I was wrong.  The Gary Mull designed
    Freedoms - 28,30, 36, are every bit as nice and as evidenced by
    the Freedom Rendezvous this summer the boat is taking off.  I'm
    especially enthused by the Freedom 32 owners group.  We have annual
    meetings to discuss improvements, problems, sail handling and have
    had real good cooperation from the builder Tillotson-Pearson.  I'm
    real happy with the boat and enjoy being part of a big family. It
    was a bit risky buying a non-conforming sailboat but I'm very happy
    I did.  It is exactly what I needed and wanted.  This year I bought
    a 99 year lease on a slip so Illusion will always (I hope, anyway)
    have a home.
    
    Pam Rickard