The Freedom 21 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a catboat rig with a freestanding carbon fiber mast and a fully-battened mainsail. A sloop rig was optional. The hull has a raked stem, a vertical transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel or shoal draft keel.[1][5]
The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.[1][5]
The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. The galley is located on the starboard side just aft of the bow cabin. The galley is equipped with a sink. Cabin headroom is 54 in (140 cm).[1][5]
For sailing the design is equipped with gun-mount spinnaker with a launching tube.[5]
The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 260 and a hull speed of 5.6 kn (10.4 km/h).[5]
Variants
Freedom 21
This catboat model displaces 2,000 lb (907 kg) and carries 500 lb (227 kg) of ballast. The boat has a draft of 3.75 ft (1.14 m) with the standard keel.[1][5]
Freedom 21 SLP
This sloop-rigged model displaces 1,800 lb (816 kg) and carries 500 lb (227 kg) of ballast. The boat has a draft of 3.80 ft (1.16 m) with the standard keel.[2][5]
Freedom 21 SLP SD
This shoal draft model displaces 2,050 lb (930 kg) and has a draft of 2.00 ft (0.61 m).[3][5]
Operational history
In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "here's a catboat with a modern flavor ... The deep fin is a better performer, but hard to get off a trailer without a crane. Best features: Deep cockpit coamings and a cockpit well proportioned for good foot-bracing help make the Freedom 21 a pleasure to sail. So does the easy-to-control gunmount spinnaker arrangement, which allows you to douse the chute by just popping the halyard and lowering the chute into its launching tube by hauling on a retrieving line. Worst features: Going forward isn't always easy, since the port side is taken over by the chute launching tube. She's not fast upwind, especially as a catboat. (A staysail can be rigged.) And her unusual appearance, with dark, wraparound 'windshield,' may not appeal to everyone."[5]
