Freedom 36 Cat Ketch

Description

The Freedom 36 Cat Ketch, a groundbreaking cat-ketch sailboat designed by Gary Mull and Gary Hoyt and built by Tillotson-Pearson (TPI) in Rhode Island from 1984 to 1987, redefined shorthanded cruising with its unstayed, free-standing carbon-fiber masts, self-tending wishbone booms, and fully battened wrap-around mainsails, eliminating all standing rigging and winches for unparalleled ease of handling in a robust 36-foot blue water-capable hull. With an LOA of 35'11", 12'6" beam, 12,000 lbs displacement, and 4,800 lbs of encapsulated lead ballast in a 5'11" fin keel (or 4'6" shoal), the balsa-cored SCRIMP-built hull delivers a SA/D ratio of ~17, enabling 6.5–7.5 knot cruising speeds in moderate winds, exceptional balance under autopilot, and a Comfort Ratio over 35 for sea kindly motion, though its narrowish beam and high freeboard can yield a firm ride in chop. Below, the open, light-filled interior with 6'4" headroom features a U-shaped galley, nav station, L-dinette converting to a double, private aft stateroom with queen berth and en-suite head, forward V-berth, and second head—sleeping six in comfort, ideal for a couple with occasional guests. Only ~35 hulls were produced, making it a collector’s gem.