Freedom 35 Cat Ketch

Description

The Freedom 35 Cat Ketch is an American cruising sailboat designed by Garry Hoyt (founder of Freedom Yachts) and built by Freedom Yachts (primarily by Tillotson-Pearson Inc. / TPI in the US, with some early or UK-market versions by Western Approaches), starting in 1981. It features the innovative unstayed cat ketch rig with two freestanding carbon fiber (or sometimes aluminum) masts, wishbone booms (early versions with wrap-around sails for efficient aerofoil shape, later often conventional booms), self-tacking sails (no jib or overlapping headsails for ultra-simple handling), fiberglass construction, a long keel with transom-hung rudder (external lead ballast, ~3,800 lb), and options including a centerboard variant (draft BU 3.5 ft / BD 7.5 ft) for better performance and shoal access. The design prioritizes ease of short-handed sailing, good offwind/reaching performance, a dry/upright ride, nimble tacking despite the rig, and comfortable accommodations (typically 2 cabins plus saloon, 6 berths, spacious interior for its size, inboard diesel auxiliary often 23-28 hp); it's known for bluewater capability (some completed ocean passages like early ARC rallies) but can be heavy on the helm in breeze and weathercocks noticeably in tight maneuvers. Exact production numbers are not well-documented publicly but appear limited (likely in the dozens, as part of the early Hoyt-era Freedom line before the brand shifted to fractional sloops); note this is a distinct model from the later 1993 Freedom 35 (Pedrick-designed fractional sloop).