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1979
As funds available were limited, there was only one day of tank testing with the models of Enterprise (1977) and Freedom. Olin Stephens and Bill Langan designed the lines of Freedom shortly after this test.
Freedom was the last victorious defender designed by Olin J. Stephens…
The hull of Freedom was highly reminiscent of that of Enterprise but the freeboard was very low, 12 cm lower than the other twelves. This enabled the centre of gravity to be lowered as much as possible, reduced pitch, increased stability and reduced windage. But it penalised the sail area…
1980
June, Freedom is launched. It raced against its yardstick Enterprise and showed good speed upwind and downwind.
In the defense selection trials, Clipper US 32, Enterprise, Courageous and Freedom sailed during the entire summer.
Freedom was selected as defender of the 1980 America's Cup on August 29th, scoring 36 wins in forty races.
The America's Cup races: September 16 to 25, 1977 in Newport, Rhode Island -
Best four out of seven races.
Freedom raced against the Australian challenger Australia.
America's Cup Course:
Olympic Course - total distance: 24 3/10 nautical miles - Start at America's Cup Buoy anchored 7,9 nautical miles, 150 degrees (Magnetic) from the Brenton Reef Light. Races shall consist of six legs. First leg, shall be approximately 4 ½ nautical miles in length, shall be from the starting buoy to windward; the second leg shall be from the first mark equidistant from the starting buoy and the first mark at a point on the circumference of a circle the diameter of which is the first leg; the third leg shall be from the second mark back to the starting buoy; the fourth leg shall be from the starting buoy to the first mark; the fifth leg shall be from the first mark to the starting buoy; and the sixth leg shall be from the starting buoy to the first mark, at which the finish line shall be established. Marks to be left on the same hand as the starting mark (America's Cup Buoy) except as modified by the Sailing Instructions.
Races: five sailed.
Results:
Freedom beat Australia by four wins to one.
- September 16, first race. Wind at start: 095°, 10 knots. Wind at finish: 125°, 12 knots. Freedom beat Australia by 1 minute 52 sec.
- September 19, second race. Wind at start: 250°, 6 knots. Wind at finish: 245°, 8 knots. Australia beat Freedom by 28 seconds.
- September 21, third race. Wind at start: 250°, 12 knots. Wind at finish: 230°, 16 knots. Freedom beat Australia by 53 seconds.
- September 23, fourth race. Wind at start: 270°, 12 knots. Wind at finish: 320°, 12 knots. Freedom beat Australia by 3 minutes 48 sec.
- September 25, fifth race. Wind at start: 115°, 17 knots. Wind at finish: 110°, 14 knots. Freedom beat Australia by 3 minutes 38 sec.
It was obvious that Freedom was able to win the 1980 America's Cup against the "old" Australian challenger Australia (1977) thanks to the two year campaign professionally organised by Dennis Conner. The boat speed of both yachts was almost even…
1982
The Freedom Syndicate - Freedom Campaign'83 - supported Dennis Conner. This group launched two new twelves: Spirit of America US 34 (Bill Langan's design) and Magic US 38 (Johan Valentijn's design). Freedom was still very competitive.
1983
Liberty US 40 a Johan Valentijn design was launched at the end of January. It was very hard to tune up this new craft, but finally it was preferred to Freedom in June 1983.
Freedom did not race the defender selection trials.
1985
Chartered by Consortio Italia
1986 - 1987
Freedom was sold to the French Kiss Challenge based in Sète, France. It served as a trial horse for French Kiss F 7 skippered by Marc Pajot, challenger candidate for the 1987 America's Cup.
1994 - 1999
François Fontes, a French yachtsman owned Freedom. Its homeport was Montpellier, France.
1999
Freedom is bought by Ernest K. Jacquet through the Freedom Foundation and returned to the United States. An accurate restoration with the advice of Olin J. Stephens, at the New England Boat Works, was undertaken.
2001
May: Freedom was re-launched and spent the summer to race off Newport.
August: Freedom moved again to Europe to race the America's Cup Jubilee in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.
2005
Freedom finished fourth in the last International Twelve Meter Class (Modern section) raced off Newport in September 2005. It sails in the America's Cup Charter fleet, Newport, Rhode Island.
J.T.
FREEDOM
1980
Sail Number: US 30
USA
Yacht Club: New York Yacht Club, New York
Victorious defender in the 25th America's Cup Match, 1980
Owner: New York Maritime College Foundation, Fort Schuyler, New York. A group called 'the Freedom Syndicate' was assembled, consisting of the principles from the Enterprise 1977 campaign: George J. Jewett, Jr. and Edward "Ed" du Moulin.
Original Design: Olin J. Stephens with Bill Langan as project manager, for Sparkman & Stephens, New York
Tank testing: Davidson Laboratory Stevens Institute of Technology at Hoboken, New Jersey.
Builder: Minneford's Yacht Yards Inc. at City Island, New York, USA
Sailmaker: Ted Hood, Lowell North, Sobstad and Ratsey & Lapthorn.
Year built: 1979-1980.
Launched: June 1980.
Skipper: Dennis Conner
Afterguard: Dennis Durgan tactician and Halsey Herreshoff navigator.
Team: 11 sailors, including John Marshall, Scott Vogel, Kyle Smith, Jon Wright, Tom Whidden
Data:
Construction -
Aluminium alloy.
Sails: Mylar-Kevlar.
Dimensions -
1980
L.O.A: 19.25 m
L.W.L.: 13.90 m
Beam: 3.77 m
Draft: 2.71 m
Sail area: 162 m2
Displacement: 25.950 tonnes
Mast: 25 m
Rating: 12-Metre
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Year of building
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1980 |
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Launched
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6/1980 |
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Edition 24(1980)
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Crew
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11 |
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Hull
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Aluminium |
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Mast
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Aluminium |
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L.O.A
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19.25 |
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L.W.L
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13.9 |
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Mast
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25 |
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Beam
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3.77 |
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Boom
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Sail Area
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Displacament
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25.95 |
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Draft
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2.71 |
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Rating
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12 Meter |
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Ballast
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)
