What can you tell me about the Freeman 41, please?

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NealB

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OK..I know they're old, big and probably fairly thirsty.

I like the looks, I love the deck space, but can't find much about them (very little detail on the Freeman Owners' site).

Who designed her? Build quality? Close quarters handling? What's she like at sea? Things to look out for?

Anything at all.......thanks!
 
Probably designed by Bennet? The build quality would have been quite good. But it's 70's stuff.

Olsinki came along in the 80's and totaly revolutionised a boats hull.
If on shafts, the close quarter handling should be good. At sea, would no way competete with the later Olsinki. Look for stress cracks due to slamming. Mendable. If you can get at it.


Freemans are very popular up here as canal boats.

Freemans have a good reputation for quality.

But they seemed to loose there way in the sea going crafts.

No idea why.

Other than that. we toured the whole of Ireland and Scotland in or P 33. Well not the west coast of Ireland Or the east coast of Scotland. But most of the good bits.
 
This may help.
FREEMAN41.jpg

Copied from 25 Years of Motor Cruisers. IBSN 0-7136-3459-6.
Poss still available from MBM booksite.
One thing that aways struck me when looking these boats was the quality of the aluminum and construction used in the window frames etc,makes my Princess look rubbish by comparision.
 
Not owned a 41 but currently own a 33 of same era, which I use on the Thames as it has small engines. Quality is 1st class and better than most of that period. Alu' windows, as said elsewhere, is excellent quality with no sign of corrosion.
Still built in the days when they had no computer aided stress programmes, so they just stuck on a few more layers of glass!! Would be surprised if any significant GRP damage except for osmosis, to which the fresh water based boats were prone.
Nowt wrong with the seakeeping ability of the larger Freemans. I took our 32 to Holland and France several times where she performed extremely well.
Those Sabre engines are good, but a bit embarrasing on start up!!
 
Thanks to everyone for the comments...any more will also be very welcome!

How embarrassing are the engines? Can anything be done to fix it?

Some years ago, I had a Citroen BX turbo diesel that, first start of the day, would turn the clearest, brightest summer's day into a gloomy, smoggy, choking darkness.....not sure I could live with that again (particularly two of the bloody things!). The problem there was that the front pulley was slipping so the pump timing was way out. Easily sorted.
 
I have a Freeman 32 mk2, had it for 10 years, keep it in Hythe and cruise around the Solent, Poole, Weymouth. no problems, I have new engines. You can get a lot of info by speaking to Sheridan marine in Moulsford, who are the Freeman dealers. I have been on a Freeman 41 that was for sale in Penton Hook some years ago, it needed a lot of work on a cosmetic level. I would have thought it was more a coastal boat than river purely due to the size. If it has been on the river a long time then you may need to check the engies as they prefer to work under strain. they are good and strong but as an old boat you will always be working on her. What size engines has she got?
 
freeman 41

i own a freeman 41. best boat..great at sea. great liveaboard.loads of room and trust worthy
 
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