Freedom 30

Description

The Freedom 30, a forward-thinking fractional sloop designed by Gary Mull and built by Tillotson-Pearson (TPI) in Rhode Island from 1986 to 1991, advanced the "Freedom Philosophy" of shorthanded simplicity with its unstayed carbon-fiber mast, self-tacking jib, and wishbone boom, banishing standing rigging woes and enabling effortless tacks from the cockpit in a nimble 29'11" LOA package on a 10'11" beam. Displacing 8,200 lbs with 3,300 lbs of lead ballast in a fin keel (4'11" draft standard or 4'6" shoal), it boasts a SA/D ratio of ~19 for lively performance—cruising at 6 knots in moderate breeze with superior light-air manners over larger Freedoms—while the beamy hull and advanced foils ensure balanced helm feel and 40-degree stability for coastal jaunts, though it's underpowered in puffs under 5 knots. The functional interior, with 6'2" headroom, sleeps four via a V-berth forward, saloon settees, and quarter berth aft, plus a galley with two-burner stove, icebox, and enclosed head—cozy for couples but tight for families—crafted in TPI's signature balsa-cored fiberglass for durability, albeit with vigilance needed for deck moisture via a thorough survey. Around 100 hulls were produced, many later extended to 32 feet with a transom platform.