Freeward 25

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Hi does anyone have any experience with the Freeward 25 for passagemaking or longer voyages? how does she sail upwind in f4-5 or upwards and can she withstand a blow?
 

Caer Urfa

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I assume you mean a Fisher Freeward 25,
I have sailed them a few times and they sail well, but don't buy one with an engine below 25 hp as you need some welly for heavy weather,
down side is no wheelhouse to keep you dry and accommodation space so would look at a Colvic Watson 25'-6" or a Colvic Watson 23'-6" which has the same if not better accommodation layout
and a much better heavy weather sailor offshore
 

scotty123

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Hi does anyone have any experience with the Freeward 25 for passagemaking or longer voyages? how does she sail upwind in f4-5 or upwards and can she withstand a blow?
A couple of mates have one, compete quite well in the Round the Island Race, but when at anchor rolls remarkably easy & not comfoetable for their wives.
 
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i see thanks...to say the truth i much prefer w/o wheelhouse though and that is what i like about her.... how about upwind /forward of the beam does she sail well ...anyone with notable passage experience?
 

scotty123

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i see thanks...to say the truth i much prefer w/o wheelhouse though and that is what i like about her.... how about upwind /forward of the beam does she sail well ...anyone with notable passage experience?
Look at hull shape, designed to sail up wind with help from Herr Diesel.
Wind abaft the beam ok, apart from leeway.
 

srm

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Look at hull shape,
If you want to sail upwind look at something that was designed as a sailing boat. The GRP Vertue is a similar size and also has a deep hull but does sail well for its size. A friend had one and has cruised extensively around the north and west of Scotland and Scandinavia. I sailed it on a brisk day in choppy conditions and it preformed well without needing the engine to go up wind.
 
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does she compare to the LM 27...they have similar characteristics both 2 tons in the keel same draft nearly and displacement...the LM 27 is rated as an Ocean A boat
 

LittleSister

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indeed i have but there is very little on this boat...

I think (but am not absolutely certain) that the Fisher Freeward is just a Fisher 25 hull with a different top on it (and presumably revised internal layout). Perhaps also they have a slightly greater sail area than the 25, I don't know. As there were rather more Fisher 25s, you'll get more info searching about them, e.g. Fisher 25 - Yachting Monthly

My impression has been that the Fisher 25s (incl Freeward) aren't great sailers, but I could be wrong. I seem to recall an article in PBO or YM years ago with an owner who couldn't make his boat tack without the engine, and who was given advice about adjusting his rig and his tacking technique to mitigate the problem, but it still remained somewhat reluctant to tack. I'd previously thought I'd like a Fisher but, rightly or wrongly, that rather put me off.

My partner always comments on how nice she thinks Fishers look, though, and I know what she means.

does she compare to the LM 27...they have similar characteristics both 2 tons in the keel same draft nearly and displacement...the LM 27 is rated as an Ocean A boat

I consider the LM27 at the sailing end of motor-sailing. If my impression of the Fisher 25/Freeward sailing abilities (see above) is correct, I would expect the LM to outsail the Fisher.

That said, while the LM27 sails surprisingly fast and responsively given its chunky looks, it is not (and was not intended to be) close winded. So you can sail upwind, but not closer than about 50 degrees to the apparent wind without getting excessive leeway. (I would expect the Fisher to be similar, though it does have a deeper keel so maybe not.)

The LM27 has a wheelhouse, though, and I thought you'd said the absence of a wheelhouse was one of the things you liked about the Freeward?

Enthusiastic though I am about LM27s, I do not consider them especially suitable for ocean sailing without adaption, as i've posted elsewhere (e.g lack of bridge-deck). I see they do score 'Ocean' category in terms of 'Capsize Screening Formula' (which relates displacement to beam) but that's only one factor.

If you tell us more about what you are looking for, budget, intended use, etc. you will probably receive a lot of other suggestions.

Some of them might even be suitable ones! ;)
 
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i thank you for your opinions but i am more after input from people who have owned a Freeward and have particular experience with possible some longer passages... ...not someone who is speculating or for info that i can easily find online...that i have don't worry...the freeward has more sail area than the Fisher 25 ...the LM 27 if you look up the brochure has STix 33-34 making it Ocean A.. i am also aware that the Freeward is the same hull as the F25 less the wheelhouse...
 

scotty123

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i thank you for your opinions but i am more after input from people who have owned a Freeward and have particular experience with possible some longer passages... ...not someone who is speculating or for info that i can easily find online...that i have don't worry...the freeward has more sail area than the Fisher 25 ...the LM 27 if you look up the brochure has STix 33-34 making it Ocean A.. i am also aware that the Freeward is the same hull as the F25 less the wheelhouse...
Have you considered the Northeaster 30?
 
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No no too big for me....once again not after recomendations for other boats just particular info on from personal experience on this boat... which i thank you for providing previosly...i remeber reading that someone crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific in a Freeward 25
 

Laminar Flow

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and a much better heavy weather sailor offshore
I'd like to see this claim a little bit more substantiated. Numbers, capsize screening value, righting moments etc., two went out together and only one came back? I'm sure all the Fisher sailors would also like to know why their boats are inferior.
 
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I'd like to see this claim a little bit more substantiated. Numbers, capsize screening value, righting moments etc., two went out together and only one came back? I'm sure all the Fisher sailors would also like to know why their boats are inferior.
indeed the larger fishers are rated Ocean A but this debate is also visible elsewhere and far from what i was trying to achieve by asking my question.. please don't deviate the thread direction...already responses have been very off target...
 

Wansworth

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No no too big for me....once again not after recomendations for other boats just particular info on from personal experience on this boat... which i thank you for providing previosly...i remeber reading that someone crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific in a Freeward 25
I should imagine storm boards over the big windows could be a useful addition.Crossing an ocean is not a guarantee of anything ,it’s been crossed in a Jeep,a 5foot boatat one time it was always noted the such and such boat had crossed the Atlantic but theses days it has little value,the person driving is what counts!
 
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well ok thanks for your superb and great contribution to the question..bloody useless asking a question here you just get people anwering about different things uselss ..
 
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