Freedom 35 Cat Ketch Buyer's Guide
The Freedom 35 Cat Ketch is one of the most distinctive boats you are likely to encounter on the brokerage market — a product of the 1980s freestanding-rig movement that has earned a small but devoted following among couples and short-handed sailors. Designed by Garry Hoyt and built by Western Yachts in Penryn, the boat pairs a freestanding cat ketch rig with wishbone booms and self-tacking, wrap-around sails that require no kicker, no backstay, and — in skilled hands — no winch. What draws buyers to a used Freedom 35 is not raw speed but a coherent philosophy: reduce sail-handling loads to the point where a boat truly sails itself. That philosophy runs through every system, and it is what you should be evaluating carefully when you inspect one.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Freedom 35 is available in a couple of interior configurations, and the three-cabin arrangement tends to be the more common one on the used market, though both layouts do circulate. Either way, the saloon is shaped by the centreboard trunk running along the centreline, which limits seating arrangements and makes the space feel more purposeful than spacious. The boat is honestly a two-person vessel that can accommodate occasional guests for short passages; the galley is well-sized for cooking for four, but the sleeping quarters below are best considered a couple's domain. The U-shaped cockpit is functional for passage-making but gives up some of its social utility to the extended coachroof and binnacle arrangement amidships. Accept the layout for what it is rather than trying to fit it into the mould of a conventional sloop.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Given the Freedom's reputation as a short-handed boat, it is no surprise that used examples arrive well equipped in that direction. Chartplotters and radar are commonly fitted, and autopilots are widely seen — the rig practically demands them for offshore passages where the owner is managing everything alone. Biminis appear on a large proportion of boats, and dodgers are frequently installed as a complement. Electric winches turn up with some regularity, though the self-tacking jib and modest sail loads mean the originals are often adequate. Solar panels and inverters are a frequent owner upgrade on boats that have moved toward extended cruising use, and dinghy davits appear on a meaningful share of the fleet, reflecting the boat's use as a liveaboard-ready coastal cruiser.
On the occasionally-seen side, AIS has been retrofitted on some examples, and air conditioning appears on boats that have spent time in warmer climates. A furling main is an owner modification worth noting when you find one — the standard wishbone-boom sail system is elegant but unfamiliar, and some owners have converted to a more conventional setup. Whether that trade suits you depends on why you are buying a Freedom in the first place.
What to Inspect
The wishbone rig is the heart of the boat and the area demanding the closest scrutiny. The freestanding masts are unstayed and have an enviable track record, but the mast bases and deck partners should be examined carefully for stress cracking and corrosion. The cockpit carries fourteen rope clutches in total — seven control lines for each sail, duplicated — and every one of them sees regular use and wears in predictable ways; inspect the full control-line runs for chafe and fatigue.
The centreboard is a known focal point. Hauling the heavy ballasted centreboard requires around 120 turns of the winch using a rope tackle, and the mechanism is a genuine effort at the end of a day's sailing. On older examples, inspect the centreboard lifting tackle and its attachment points for wear, rope fatigue, and corrosion in the pennant system. The centreboard trunk itself can develop leaks over time on any boat of this era, so look for water ingress or staining around the base of the trunk inside the saloon. The variable draught — shallow with the plate up, around 1.8 metres when fully lowered — is one of the boat's genuine virtues, but only if the mechanism is in reliable working order.
The wrap-around, two-ply sail system is proprietary in character. Replacement or repair of the wishbone-boom sails and associated hardware is a specialised task, and you should budget for it on any older example. Ask for records on when the sails were last replaced and who made the replacement set. A survey from a yard familiar with Freedom rigs, or at minimum a pre-purchase consult with the Freedom Yachts Owners Association, is advisable before committing.
Below the waterline, the long-keel hull is straightforward to survey by conventional means. Osmosis is an age-related concern on any GRP vessel from this era, so a moisture-meter survey of the hull is standard practice. The engine, typically a Perkins Perama or similar small diesel, should be run under load and inspected for oil and water leaks; these engines are robust but are now well past middle age on most boats, and a compression test and full service history review are non-negotiable.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Freedom 35 circulates most actively in the United States, where the type has its strongest following and the Freedom Yachts Owners Association remains a useful resource. Examples also appear in the United Kingdom and in Scandinavian and German markets, reflecting the type's appeal to cruising sailors in those regions. The fleet is not large, so buyers should expect to be patient and to travel when the right boat surfaces.
The Freedom 35 rewards buyers who understand what they are getting: a considered, low-load short-handed cruiser with an unconventional rig that genuinely delivers on its promises, but only if the rig, centreboard, and proprietary sail system are in sound condition. Before you buy:
- Commission a survey from a yard with freestanding-rig experience, or consult the owners association before the survey
- Operate the centreboard through its full range under power and confirm the tackle and winch are in sound condition
- Inspect all fourteen rope clutches and the full control-line runs for wear
- Check both mast bases and deck partners for cracking or corrosion
- Obtain records for sail age and any modifications to the wishbone-boom system
- Confirm engine hours, compression health, and service history
- Conduct a full moisture-meter survey of the hull
- Join the Freedom Yachts Owners Association before closing — parts knowledge and rig expertise within that community are invaluable
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Freedom 35 Cat Ketch. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 4 | $ 57,950 | — |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $ 55,000 | -5.1% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 42,000 | -23.6% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 26,046 | -38.0% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $ 65,000 | +149.6% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 63,900 | -1.7% |
| Apr 26 | 8 | $ 33,131 | -48.2% |
| May 26 | 10 | $ 57,000 | +72.0% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $ 55,379 | -2.8% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $ 49,000 | -11.5% |
Where they're listed
Freedom 35 Cat Ketch listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 30 (81.1%), followed by United Kingdom and Grenada.
Country view
37 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 59,750 | 30 | 14 | 81.1% |
| United Kingdom | $ 16,362 | 5 | 0 | 13.5% |
| Grenada | $ 26,046 | 1 | 0 | 2.7% |
| Sweden | $ 51,259 | 1 | 1 | 2.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Legacy 35 | 35.33' | $ 173,000 | 51 | 13 |
| Freedom 35 Cat KetchYou are here | — | $ 57,000 | 39 | 17 |
| Tradewind 35 | 35.01' | $ 60,099 | 20 | 2 |
| Nauticat 35 | 34.92' | $ 104,928 | 19 | 4 |
| Fountaine Pajot Tobago 35 | 35' | $ 135,012 | 11 | 2 |