A born-again sailor just came aboard!

[Slangevar48]

Just getting back into sailing last season after not doing much for 30 years. Formerly crewed on others race boats: e-scows and hobies on Chautauqua lake in Western NY. last spring I jumped into a real deal on a Freedom 25 and happy I took the plunge. Slangevar is my vessel, I'm keeping her for the time being on Lake Erie in Dunkirk NY. I have a lot to learn and hoping there are members out there with similiar boats and experience to share. Slangevar is a tillotson-pearson 1984 Model F25,
fiberglass race/cruiser with the trademark of the time: a black unstayed carbon fiber mast and the innovative "gunmount" spinaker boom on the pulpit, 25'8" ength, 8' beam, draft 4'6", fixed fin keel. I am still recruiting
Crew-ballast (not that I need the ballast much with that keel) and too often find myself at a loss when I need deck muscle. I have a trip to port Colbourne, Ontario and a trip to Niagara falls planned for this season

[Morgan Paul]

Hello and Welcome.

I have a trip to port Colbourne, Ontario and a trip to Niagara falls planned for this season

WOW !, Niagra falls.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Randy,
Welcome aboard!! I don't recommend taking the boat you described over the falls. Might cause some significant damage. LOL
Does your boat have a jib? Is it unstayed as well?
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Slangevar48]

Hey John- whoops! I meant by way of the locks on the canal
The boat came with a decent main, a holey spinaker (no not blessed by a preist) a mint condition spinaker and a genoa for some other type of boat- however thee was no Jib. I took the genoa over to Dave Bierig, the sailmaker in Erie PA to see if perhaps that genoa could be fashioned into a jib appropriate for my boat. He was horrified (the genoa was made by him 20 some years ago) and would not consider canabalizing it. (said it would take more work to modify it than to make a new one) Luckily one of his staff noticed the sail, took measurements and found it was a good match for his catamaran and bought it- so I had half of my payment for a new jib. Due for its first sail in 2 weeks. I can't wait to see how she runs with the new jib!! I never used the spinaker last season-as I had no knowledge of how it was rigged and flown and couldn't find anyone who did. I found a group of people on yahoo forums who now these boats very well and got the pointers I needed- and even found a 20 year old video somebody posted and saw how amazing this innovative system is. So I'm psyched for some fun sails with new cloth and skills to be honed.
Yes the mast is unstayed- which is part of the reason I can't apply any folding mast steps to help me with maintenance up high. no biggie though,
as I do appreciate the virtues of the carbon fiber self standing mast-
less to go wrong, however not so easy to step and unstep. I had astay snap right behind my back in a race once on an Escow- scary! We were neck and neck with a fine sailor named Buddy Melges on my lake in the Eastern nationals in 1987, we were DNF.
You have a great looking craft, something I would aspire to. I've never sailed on a yacht like that!
Thanks for the welcome, Happy sails!
Randy

[s/v 'Faith']

Randy,

Sounds like a great boat. The 25' ought to be just about perfect to cruise in... but then I am prejdust.

The name 'Slangevar' is unique, what is the origin?

[Slangevar48]

Thanks for the long distance cruising link, I'm sure the logs will be helpful.
'Slangevar' simply means "good health" and is most often express over a wee dram between scotsmen, or whomever likes to use a not so often heard drinking toast.
your boat has roller reefing, that's a nice trick, wish I had that! That's nice site for the Pearson arial, Perhaps I'll see if some like minded TP Freedom 25 owners would like to do the same- a handy reference and forum, custom made.