Freedom 35 Cat Ketch Known Issues

Common problems, survey red flags, and what to inspect before buying a Freedom 35 Cat Ketch.

These are the most commonly reported problems on the Freedom 35 Cat Ketch, compiled from surveys, owner reports, and marine forums. Use this list as a pre-purchase inspection checklist — especially the high-severity items.

Known Issues

3 High 5 Medium

Accommodations

Medium

The transom-hung rudder pintles and gudgeons on these boats are subject to significant wear and corrosion; the rudder can develop excessive play that is often underestimated by owners. Inspect all pintle and gudgeon hardware carefully for elongated holes and galvanic corrosion.

Hull/Deck

High

The mast partner/deck sleeve area is subject to chronic water intrusion and deck delamination due to the high cyclic loads imposed by the freestanding masts working at deck level. Soft or spongy deck around both mast partners is a very common finding on these boats.

Medium

TPI-built hulls from this era used a balsa core in deck and sometimes hull-side panels. Balsa core saturation is a known issue, particularly around chainplates, stanchion bases, and fittings — though on the Freedom the main vulnerability points are the mast partners and any deck hardware through-bolts.

Keel

Medium

The long keel with attached transom-hung rudder on TPI-built hulls can develop weeping at the keel-to-hull joint over time. Inspect the interior of the bilge along the full keel length for signs of water infiltration or stress cracking in the tabbing.

Rigging

High

The unstayed carbon fiber or fiberglass cat ketch masts are the defining feature of the Freedom design. These freestanding masts are prone to developing longitudinal cracks or delamination at the partners (deck level) where flexing is greatest. The mast partner area must be carefully inspected for stress cracking in the mast sleeve and surrounding deck structure.

Medium

The wishbone booms used on Freedom rigs are prone to corrosion at the internal fittings and pivot points, and the track systems for the wishbone jaws can wear significantly. Inspect all pivot hardware and internal fittings carefully as replacement parts have become difficult to source.

High

The freestanding mast step socket at the keel or in the bilge area is subject to wear and cracking in the fiberglass mast step cup. The mast base should be inspected for any movement or cracking in the step casting and surrounding laminate, as mast pumping in a seaway accelerates wear here.

Sails

Medium

The wrap-around sleeve luff sails used on the Freedom cat ketch rig are non-standard and expensive to replace. Finding a sailmaker experienced with this system is increasingly difficult, and owners sometimes retrofit conventional luff-groove systems with modified hardware.

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