Freedom 35 Cat Ketch Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Freedom 35 Cat Ketch means weighing an unconventional rig against the practical realities of a 1980s Garry Hoyt design built by Western Yachts, Penryn. These boats reward the buyer who wants to sail short-handed without a forest of wires, but the centreboard arrangement and cockpit layout deserve a careful look before any purchase.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts appear more often on the brokerage market, though both configurations are findable, and ex-charter examples are common. The below-decks plan centers on a saloon dominated by the centreboard box, with accommodation realistically suited to a couple and occasional guests rather than four full-time berths. The cockpit carries U-shape seating that keeps one side clear for cabin access, and a substantial coachroof extension sits mid-cockpit with the wheel behind it.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a chartplotter, electric winches, a self-tacking jib, and a swim platform as standard fitted gear. Beyond those, a bimini, radar, autopilot, dodger, solar, and inverter are often seen. For energy independence, solar and inverter combinations matter most to a cruiser; for deck comfort, a dodger and bimini extend seasonable use. Less common but worth noting as owner upgrades are dinghy davits, a short-handed sail-handling setup, hot water, AIS, air conditioning, and a furling main — any of these signals a seller who invested in liveaboard or extended-cruise capability.
What to Inspect
The one documented operational concern is the heavy ballasted centreplate, which testers recorded as requiring 120 turns of the winch to raise. A buyer should cycle the centreboard fully and confirm the winch, cable, and pivot show no excessive wear or corrosion.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Freedom 35s typically appear in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and Grenada. For a shopper, the checklist is brief: confirm the centreplate raises and lowers smoothly through its full travel; verify which layout and whether ex-charter history affects wear; and decide if the self-tacking rig's simplicity outweighs the compromised saloon and restricted cockpit movement. A boat that passes those tests is a low-fuss coastal and offshore cruiser with minimal rig upkeep.
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 · 11 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 4 | $57,950 | — |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $50,000 | -13.7% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $42,000 | -16.0% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $26,508 | -36.9% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $65,000 | +145.2% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $63,900 | -1.7% |
| Apr 26 | 7 | $16,653 | -73.9% |
| May 26 | 10 | $57,000 | +242.3% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $54,194 | -4.9% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $49,000 | -9.6% |
| Aug 26 | 6 | $59,495 | +21.4% |
Where they're listed
Freedom 35 Cat Ketch listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 31 (81.6%), followed by United Kingdom and Grenada.
Country view
38 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $59,990 | 31 | 8 | 81.6% |
| United Kingdom | $16,653 | 5 | 0 | 13.2% |
| Grenada | $26,508 | 1 | 0 | 2.6% |
| Sweden | $52,437 | 1 | 1 | 2.6% |
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 | 46 | 8 |
| Freedom 35 Cat KetchYou are here | — | $ 57,000 | 39 | 10 |
| Tradewind 35 | 35.01' | $ 61,166 | 21 | 3 |
| Nauticat 35 | 34.92' | $ 105,251 | 18 | 2 |
| Freedom Yachts 30 | 29.97' | $ 25,400 | 14 | 6 |