looking at a freedom with a chamber spar jib.
any body have experience with that arrangement.
it looks easy to use but might be very limited on pointing ability;
so looking for any one with experience

Bill wrote in
:


looking at a freedom with a chamber spar jib.
any body have experience with that arrangement.
it looks easy to use but might be very limited on pointing ability;
so looking for any one with experience

I have a Freedom 40/40 with a camber spar jib and like it a lot. It's
absolutely wonderful when running down wind as it's like having a permanent
whisker pole. That saidd, when running *dead* down wind having a whisker
pole is a good idea as the main blankets the jib and it can flip from side
to side and there's a lot of mass associated with the camber spar. You
also have the fact that it's self tending, which makes tacking a piece of
cake.

The biggest drawback is the lack of adjustments due the lack of adjustable
lead blocks. If you're racing, this could be a major issue. However, if
you're cruising, this isn't a real issue. It also keeps the deck clear of
hardware, which is great. My 40/40 is a fast boat which regularly out
sails boats 10+ feet longer.

-- Geoff

Bill wrote in
:


looking at a freedom with a chamber spar jib.
any body have experience with that arrangement.
it looks easy to use but might be very limited on pointing ability;
so looking for any one with experience


You might also want to check out the Freedom forum which is located on
groups.google.com and is titled FreedomYachts2003.

-- Geoff

Bill wrote:
looking at a freedom with a chamber spar jib.
any body have experience with that arrangement.
it looks easy to use but might be very limited on pointing ability;
so looking for any one with experience

Pointing ability depends on flat sails, narrow sheet angles, and
sufficient velocity to make the keel(s) work. Setting the right
amount of sail is important, as dragging around a bunch of draggy,
excess sail depowered and flogging does not help. A clean hull
helps, but in 20+ knots of apparrant wind, it's nowhere near as
important as these, when you get dug into the groove. To point well,
you must find out where the boat wants to go, then steer where you
want to go by adjusting your sails until the boat wants to go the
same place you do.

People ask me "Isn't a bilge keel rig SLOW?" All I can say is that
it doesn't seem slow when she's bashing along reefed at 40 degrees
of heel with one keel dry on top and planing, Billy.

Having a self tending jib with a club boom enables you to really
stretch the small jib flat and to sheet it exactly where you want
it, even really close to the centerline. Many boats can't set their
sails right, because of the rigging.

I see these twerps dragging a huge genny sheeted outside the shrouds
and then I pass them pointing higher with a reef in the main and my
mini automatic jib tuned to conditions and I laugh. It's like
driving a motorboat past them. Watching them trying go about in a
river makes me giggle, really.

What is a chamber spar? Is it a jib spar, a bowsprit foreward?
With a headstay? I would suggest a small jib and club boom, and a
quardruple reef in the main. Then, go chase Ivan, for a real sail.

Of course, in quiet air, a rarity, you would want a kite, non? For
that, you need only a spare halyard. If you get to the point where
you need a bowsprit too, quit the race and start the iron genny, or
row, or learn to roll tack, and have a square dance. An electric
outboard will get you miles and miles with a flat.

Terry K

Let me rephrase the question-
How does this rig sail in light air.
I'm used to a large jib, which I always though gave most of the lift.
This rig has a small jib and large main, set a little forward.