Sailboats with Free Standing Masts

[mserafi1]

Sorry about multiple posts. Couldn't get multiples to upload in one post.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by mserafi1

I've been following this thread hoping to learn more about my Offshore 33 cat ketch, how to sail it, and what others may have done to improve theirs. Unfortunately, the fact that it's not a mass produced production boat makes that unlikely. Offshore Yachts and Clearwater Yachts built these boats in the 80's and they were also marketed as Barefoot, Freewing, and Clearwater 33's when marketed for charter fleets. Walter Scott was the designer.

Hi.
Thanks for adding this boat to the discussion. Thanks for posting the photos and drawing too.

[daletournier]

http://youtu.be/v3VZB3yH5o0

Freestanding rig going to windward this morning. Sailing in Sulawesi, check out the volcano.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Greatketch33]

Originally Posted by daletournier

http://youtu.be/v3VZB3yH5o0 Freestanding rig going to windward this morning. Sailing in Sulawesi, check out the volcano. Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed the video.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by daletournier

http://youtu.be/v3VZB3yH5o0

Freestanding rig going to windward this morning. Sailing in Sulawesi, check out the volcano.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Another Freedom...nice Nice place, too; notwithstanding those pyroclastic flows. Can't wait till I'm also exploring this area!

[Coyote24]

Greetings


I sailed for some years on a friends boat called a Sparhawk 42,
It was schooner rig, free standing carbon fibre masts.
I have never seen some for sale on the internet (only some 35ft that are quite different)
When my friend past away the vessel was purchased by a friend of his and I believe it is in Poland or there about now.

The Sparhawk was designed and built after the tragedy of the Fastnet a few decades ago. The vessels are unsinkable (my friends named his Molly, for that reason), The vessel has a canard keel, open transom, center queen bed in the V-berth etc.

Sailing that boat was magic, I never experienced anything like that before or since. Once the two full batten sails were relatively properly tuned you could let go of the helm and just watch the boat accelerate.
As one sail loaded up the tip of the mast would bend and the sail would spill and the same would happen to the other sail balancing the vessel perfectly. The canard keel gave the boat incredible tracking (compare it to a 3/4 keel) yet nimble and easy to tack and point.

Given the chance I would have and still would purchase one of those boat.

Cheers,


a.

[vasariah]

with on-deck-mast you can have mast lowering system like here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn2XnCyMvWw

[NevisDog]

I guess that last post from vasariah is to show what we lose by choosing a freestanding rig. I guess anything much larger than a Laser dinghy with freestanding mast can't launch regularly from a trailer, though I've heard of counterbalanced stubby masts that pivot at deck height to allow spritsail sailing barges to pass under low bridges - of limited interest to most though.

[Scaramanga F25]

On that size boat a freestanding mast can also be easily rigged with the same A- frame tripod that he is using.
A carbon free standing mast would be 1/2 the weigh so much lighter.

[JimJohnston]

Well thrilled to report that I purchased a Nonsuch 30 in early September of this year and without really having a clue (new rig and all) about what I was doing, having come from 3 previously owned stayed-mast sloop rigged boats, tack to tack was 110 degrees. So I was impressed because that's pretty much the best I could get with my last boat a Caliber 40. And that was on a good day.

And for a 30 footer we were getting 7.5 kts (max) on a close reach in estimated 16 kts of wind.

[Pelagic]

Nonsuch 30 is one of my most favorite boats....used to regularly charter both in PNW and BVI.

Rarely used the engine and non sailors could relax, knit or read a book, while I sailed to my hearts content.

Thought it the perfect 30 ft boat for coastal cruising .

[JimJohnston]

So far I am thrilled. We sailed our Caliber 40 throughout the Caribbean and I never imagined I'd be moving to a smaller (but larger, in many ways) boat.

[Simonsays]

stop driving the price up with such reviews while i am looking for one

there's a beautiful Freedom 40 CC for sale right now in Greece
i fell in love the first time i saw that model
unfortunately way out of my league in size and price.

[Scaramanga F25]

You will enjoy the Nonsuch 30.
I prefer the newer 324 Nonsuch as the carbon mast is 1/2 the weight. About 150 lbs less.

However there is an advantage to alloy freestanding masts.

[beiland]

Originally Posted by paulanthony

Its quite hard to find a price index but I did find a reference to carbon mast construction costs from Eric Sponberg himself.

I was looking rather quickly thru this subject thread and saw numerous mentions of the Freedom vessels, but almost no mention of their principle rig designer,...until this posting.
Sponberg Yacht Design Inc.

Free Standing Masts

I had hopes of employing Eric to consult with me on several 'unusual' rig proposals I've made (particularly as we live very close to each other now) :
Aftmast Rig

DynaRig Motorsailer