Design and Construction
Hoyt's concept discarded the conventional sloop's backstay-and-shrouds complexity in favor of two freestanding masts carrying wishbone booms. The boat's 198.4 displacement-to-length ratio and 31 percent ballast ratio place her firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser class, with a draught ranging from 3ft 6in to 6ft 0in depending on centreboard position. Her 18.99 sail-area-to-displacement ratio suggests a lively turn of speed for a boat of her type. Western Yachts finished her to RCD Category A (Ocean) standard, a classification that speaks to the offshore intent behind the design rather than mere coastal pottering.
Rig and Handling
The defining virtue of the Freedom 35 is a rig that removes the athletic demands of conventional sail trimming. Both the main and mizzen are self-tacking on long tracks, each fitted with a 3:1 sheet tackle that is more than enough to allow them to be handled manually without a winch. Although the cockpit carries 14 rope clutches, the layout resolves into just seven control lines for each sail, duplicated for simplicity rather than redundancy. This is a boat built around the idea that one person should be able to sail her without leaving the helm for long.
Accommodations
Below, the Freedom 35 asks a little patience from those used to conventional layouts. She is not the biggest 33-footer on the market, and the saloon is dominated by the centreboard box, which intrudes on the living space in a way that a fin-keel boat never would. In accommodation terms one tester classed her as a 2+2 boat — comfortable for a couple with occasional guests, but not a full four-berth cruiser. The galley is up to cooking for more than a couple, and there is plenty of space to entertain for a drink, yet the sleeping and washing arrangements tighten up when everyone is aboard. Above deck, the cockpit's U-shape seating does not lend itself to socialising, since one side must stay clear for access below, and a large lump of extended coachroof sits mid-cockpit with the binnacle and wheel behind it, further restricting movement.
Known Issues
The most documented operational grievance is the heavy ballasted centreplate. Testers found that hauling it up once back on the mooring required 120 turns of the winch, a laborious task that bears directly on how the boat is handled in shoal water and at anchor.
Refits and Ownership
The Freedom 35's simplicity is itself the refit strategy: with no standing rigging to replace and manual sail handling throughout, the recurring costs that plague stayed rigs are largely absent. The Perkins Perama 29hp diesel with shaft drive is a straightforward unit, and the 22-gallon fuel and 44-gallon water capacities suit coastal and moderate offshore use without demanding constant tank management.
The Verdict
The Freedom 35 is a boat for the sailor who values independence from complex rigging over maximum upwind efficiency. Her self-tacking cat ketch layout delivers genuine single-handed capability, and her ocean-category construction lends quiet confidence. The centreboard box compromises the saloon, and the centreplate's weight makes shallow-water retrieval a chore, but these are the trade-offs of a design that succeeds on its own unconventional terms.
Pros
- Self-tacking wishbone cat ketch rig handled manually without winches
- Simple cockpit control layout with duplicated sail lines
- RCD Category A ocean construction
- Low ongoing rig maintenance with no standing rigging
Cons
- Saloon dominated by centreboard box; compact for a 33-footer
- Cockpit seating and coachroof lump restrict movement and socialising
- Heavy ballasted centreplate needs 120 winch turns to raise
