The Freedom 44 Cat Ketch Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Freedom 44 Cat Ketch was designed by Halsey Herreshoff & Gary Hoyt and built in the USA by Tillotson Pearson Inc.

The Freedom 44 Cat Ketch

Published Specification for the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch

Underwater Profile: Fin keel & skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 44'0" (13.4m)

Waterline Length: 39'6" (12.0m)

Beam: 12'0" (3.7m)

Draft: 6'0" (1.8m)

Rig Type: Unstayed cat ketch

Displacement: 24,000lb (10,886kg)

Designer: Halsey Herreshoff & Gary Hoyt

Builder: Tillotson Pearson Inc (USA)

Year First Built: 1981

Published Design Ratios for the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 19.3

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 29.2

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 174

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 33.2

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.7

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 19.3 suggests that the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 29.2 means that a sailboat like the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 174, tells us the Freedom 44 Cat Ketch is a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer to a degree.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 33.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Freedom 44 Cat Ketch in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.7 indicates that a Freedom 44 Cat Ketch would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.