Sailboats with Free Standing Masts

[Steadman Uhlich]

Paul Munro Design Cat Ketch 28' LOA WOOD

Here is an unusual find. A small trailerable wood Cat Ketch.

LOA = 28'
Location = San Francisco Area
Asking Price = $5,000
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Steady's NOTES:

First, I like to see photos of a boat actually sailing! And this boat has several.

Secondly, the SF Bay area is linked to the Sacramento River Delta which has many sloughs. I think this small trailerable cruiser would be fun for exploring some of the back water areas (though I would include a small outboard for windless times). I like the design, the trailerability, and the tan bark sails.

This looks like a boat I would enjoy sailing and using to explore many areas, especially given it can be trailered.

Egret may be the design name in the Munro catalog.
WOOD hull.
Free Standing Masts - spruce WOOD
Double ended.
Trailerable.
Shallow Draft (looks like a Sharpie design)
Sleeps two.
Wood stove in cabin.
Built 1986

NOTE! I have NO financial connection to the seller of this boat. I have no financial interest in posting it here.
________________

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/boa/5850790113.html

More from the sale listing:
"I am offering Egret for sale. She comes with a double axle trailer with surge brakes, good tires, ready to sail. Equipment includes 2 batteries, battery charger, 4 HP Johnson outboard, tanbark main and mizzen with two reef points, staysail, 2 electric bilge pumps. Light weight spruce masts. Sleeps two. Centerboard. Double ended. Wood stove in the cabin.

To learn more about the history of this design and building email me. She is registered with the Master Mariners in SF and has raced in the Master Mariners Regatta.

Designer is Paul Munro. Plans featured in Wooden Boat magazine."

[Snowpetrel]

^^ Ohh Very lovely! Shame they didn’t put the short gaffs on her, but she looks very nice and traditional anyhow.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Hunter Vision 36

Free Standing Mast
Shallow Draft = Wing Keel

Asking Price = $33,900. (1991 boat)
Location = Alameda CA

Recent Sale Listing:
1991 Hunter Vision 36 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com
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Steady's NOTES:

This design is something unusual, a Hunter boat with a Free Standing Mast. It does have a jib on a forestay furler.

The interior is somewhat open, with a Vberth double in the bow, and a double berth in another cabin below the cockpit.

This boat has a nice "swim platform" multi-level sugar scoop stern that would make for easy boarding.

NOTE: the photos I am posting (as usual) are to ILLUSTRATE the design of this model of boat. Some may NOT be from the sale listing provided as an example or current street price.

NOTE: The linked boat has some cedar battens (wood strips) on the "ceiling" (interior walls of the cabins) and that does not appear to be original.

NOTE: Bob Perry reviewed this boat design with an overall favorable review. Here's the review: http://www.boats.com/reviews/perry-d...ter-vision-36/

[Yowieboy]

Just as a bit of a break from Stateside offerings, here are two Freedoms located in the UK. Both seem well equipped and reasonably priced.

One is a 1980 Freedom 35 that has two carbon masts with the usual wishbone rigs.

Freedom 35 for sale, 10.59m (34'9"), 1980 | Boatshed Hamble

The other one is a 1989 Freedom 33 with an unstayed Freedom sloop rig on an aluminium mast, and a self tacking jib with camber spar.
Also featuring a new-ish engine (1992) and great looking accommodation, that one would attract me, but a) I'm not quite at the buying stage yet, and b) it's somewhat beyond my budget. But one can always dream, no?

1989 Freedom 33 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[alansmith]

I bought the 5K dollar Egret Munroe designed cat-ketch that Steady Hand found in Craig's list. I will just include a couple of pictures not posted above. This is not a serious blue water boat. She is strictly coastal. That is enough for me. My needs are simple and not overly ambitious. My criteria was trailerable so that I can pull my boat to any area of N. America and drop her in. Small...so that I can handle her all by my self if need be. Shoal draft ...so that I can go skinny in deltas like Sacramento, Bahamas, Sea of Cortez, and San Juans. No diesel engines...weight, through hulls, complexity, no underwater stuff to deal with, and expense. Preferably free standing masts so not dealing with chain plates, rigging, shipping and unshipping masts, and low bridge access issues.

She is Spartan to say the least. The most advanced feature on her is LED steaming lights. Well, I have Steady Hand to thank for finding her. Thanks Mate...

[Steadman Uhlich]

The World's Largest Private Sailing Yacht! "S/Y A"

This newly released video shows the world's largest privately owned sail assisted motor yacht (not a cruise ship) that is commonly called "S/Y A" (simply the first initial of the owner's name).

It is HUGE. Its length is 469 feet! Its mast height is 330 feet! It has a crew of 54. It displaces 12,700 tons! It has a draft of 26 feet and a beam of 82 feet and 8 decks. It was designed by Philippe Starck. The masts are free standing carbon fiber. It has a 3,747 m2 (40,330 sq ft) 3-mast schooner rig.

But, if you watch this video it first appears like a computer graphic or animation, because this boat is designed so differently (angular shapes, very large and high hull) and because the scale seems wrong to our eyes when we see the boat and the surface of the water. It looks like a CGI boat. But, this is real. (Or is it "Unreal?")

The size of those sails and the scale of the boat is hard to grasp until one sees the small human figures (crew) at the end of the boom or up the mast! This sailboat is HUGE!

The owner of this boat is Andrey Melnichenko, (hence the initial "A"), a notorious Russian Billionaire.

You can see this amazing video via these links:

The Best Video (with drone flyover):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0M8xZmG5E0&t=136s

Another video recently posted on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/steadman.uh...73930099349647

https://www.facebook.com/sailingmoto...5547555827650/

On Youtube:

https://youtu.be/RZIGXyK36LQ

[Yowieboy]

It's as ugly as the Maltese Falcon is beautiful.

[gamayun]

This 30-footer was posted on the Freedom Yachts forum today:

1985 Freedom (no trailer). Sailed in freshwater only. Head, shower, sleeps 6, sails in good condition (spinnaker included). Boat refurbished 3 years ago. Will deliver. $22,000. Respond to Allen McClung, amcclung42@gmail.com.


Some pictures are in the album "No Strings Attached" under Photos.

[dangerfield55]

I have owned a 1984 Freedom 32 since 1991. The boat is a Great Lakes boat, stored inside and
Professionally maintained. It is listed
For 25000 and can be seen at Nesteggmarine.com or yacht world.
I was leary of a carbon fiber mast. I have single handed the boat in 30 mph winds and a double reefed main. I have zero concerns about it' strength. The jib is self tending so there are no lines to deal with coming about. This makes singlehanding a breeze. With the job , the boat point as well as a stayed sloop. All lines come back to the cockpit. With the wind on the stern, I drop the job as it just flaps back and forth. The fully battened fat headed mail is very powerful particularly running down wind. The job gets in the way of anchoring unless tied to one side. It is handled on so you need to go forward when dropping it.
The strength of the Freedom line is the quality of TPI's build. I have had zero structural issues. The Freedom 32 is the roomiest 32 I have seen due to the 12'9" beam. I feel this slows
the boat down heading into large waves. The boat sails well has a lot of teak below which is maintenance free and lovely. I am 6'2" and the headroom and bunks work well. After 16 years I am tired of climbing onto the seats to get around the wheel, not having a sugar scoop stern. I had only planned on owning her for 5-6 years but she has been outstanding.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Freedom 32

Year 1984
Location = Mainette WI USA

Asking Price = $25,000

Ad (May 1, 2017)
1984 Freedom Marine 32 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by dangerfield55

I have owned a 1984 Freedom 32 since 1991. The boat is a Great Lakes boat, stored inside and
Professionally maintained. It is listed
For 25000 and can be seen at Nesteggmarine.com or yacht world.
I was leary of a carbon fiber mast. I have single handed the boat in 30 mph winds and a double reefed main. I have zero concerns about it' strength. The jib is self tending so there are no lines to deal with coming about. This makes singlehanding a breeze. With the job , the boat point as well as a stayed sloop. All lines come back to the cockpit. With the wind on the stern, I drop the job as it just flaps back and forth. The fully battened fat headed mail is very powerful particularly running down wind. The job gets in the way of anchoring unless tied to one side. It is handled on so you need to go forward when dropping it.
The strength of the Freedom line is the quality of TPI's build. I have had zero structural issues. The Freedom 32 is the roomiest 32 I have seen due to the 12'9" beam. I feel this slows
the boat down heading into large waves. The boat sails well has a lot of teak below which is maintenance free and lovely. I am 6'2" and the headroom and bunks work well. After 16 years I am tired of climbing onto the seats to get around the wheel, not having a sugar scoop stern. I had only planned on owning her for 5-6 years but she has been outstanding.

Good post. Thanks for adding your comments about your experience with your boat.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Sunbird 32 Junk Rig

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Steady's Notes

1. I have always had a fascination with Junk Rig boats and boats with Free Standing Masts. I like them and whenever I see one, it catches my eye. This one looks like it has been cared for nicely, and rather than having to start with a "project boat" this one appears ready to go. For a sailor looking for a Junk Rigged boat, this one appears to have a lot to offer.

2. This boat looks like it has been kept in very good condition. I particularly like this layout for a cruising couple. It has a midship double berth (Pullman) and a nicely finished wood interior. The Vberth has been used for storage, something I would do too.

3. Note that this boat has a reconditioned BUKH engine with ZERO HOURS that was installed in late 2016.

3. There is much more information found via the ad link in the details on the ad, including electronics etc. I am going to post just some of that information here to give an idea of the boat.

4. I counted 6 Dorade or cowl vents on deck with a few more vents too. I like that, as good ventilation keeps a boat nice. It also has a cabin heater in the saloon.
______________

Sale Listing (May 1, 2017)
1980 Sunbird 32 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Year = 1980
Location = Faro Portugal
Asking Price = £ 19,500 Tax Paid (US$ 25,184)

Specs
Builder: Sunbird Yachts
Designer: Alan Boswell

Dimensions
LOA: 9.93 m
Beam: 3.20 m
LWL: 7.95 m
Maximum Draft: 1.22 m
Displacement: 4600 kgs

Engines
Total Power: 14.7 KW

Engine 1:
Engine Brand: BUKH
Year Built: 2016
Engine Model: DV20ME
Engine Type: Inboard
Engine/Fuel Type: Diesel
Propeller: 3 blade propeller
Drive Type: Direct Drive
Engine Power: 14 KW

Maximum Speed: 12 kph

Engines
Bukh 20 hp.

Fully reconditioned engine from Marine Enterprises UK, placed September 2016.
Engine hours 0.00
Cruising Speed: 5 - 6kn

Deck
With the twin masts both being keel stepped, the need for standing rigging is eliminated. This in turn frees the deck space of all but the running rigging and makes her extremely easy and safe to get around. As the sails are always on the masts, this also in turn means that all interior accommodation is available for domestic use.

Spars, Rigging and Sails
Twin Needlespar masts in aluminium.
Twin Needlespar booms in aluminium.
Aluminium sail battens.
Chinese reefing main and foresail (weight of battens drops sails into lazyjacks).
No standing rigging.
Running rigging in pre-stretched nylon.
Main and foresail are both original and in very good condition with only minimal repairs (small patches) ever needed in the past 35 years.
Sails are in seven horizontal panels separated by aluminium battens.
Both sails are tan in color and made from terylene.

___________________________________

My Disclaimers and Requests:

I have no financial or other connection to this boat or the seller.
I have not seen this boat in person, nor have I sailed on it.
As with any boat, it is a good idea to research the design to learn about how they sail, common problems and owner opinions.
As with any boat, it is smart to have a qualified yacht surveyor perform a survey of the boat to assess its condition.
I am posting this to help others find boats. This one caught my eye, and I hope this thread helps others find a good fit for them.
I hope this thread proves helpful to CF Members. If so, let me know, as it is nice to know the time spent on it has helped others.

[Snowpetrel]

That Sunbird 32 is a very interesting boat on many levels. The combination of modern underbody and ancient rig is appealing to me, and I really like the unusual interior layout. Getting a big storage area forward that can be converted into a v berth if you have guests is great, and it would be comparatively easy to male that forward bulkhead semiwatertight. Thanks for posting this Steady.

[tp12]

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has been posted before ...

Chris White has an Atlantic 70F - a 70 foot, couples cruising catamaran with a free standing rig.

https://www.chriswhitedesigns.com/atlantic-70f

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Freedom 32

Year 1984
Location = Mainette WI USA

Asking Price = $25,000

Ad (May 1, 2017)
1984 Freedom Marine 32 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

I've probably cruised more than most on a Freedom 32 , now sold and I'm on another boat.
Just incredible value and so under rated, a little boat that thinks it's a big boat. Tuff, roomy, reasonably quick and just so easy to cruise. Freeform saw some quite remote places, sailed in a couple of gales, bumped into a couple of reefs and just always come through.
It always surprises me how cheap they are, alot of boat for the money, you could do much worse.