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Freedom 45 Ac
Designer: Gary Mull  ·  Builder: Tillotson Pearson Inc, (Usa)  ·  First built: 1987
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About the Freedom 45 Ac

Designed by Gary Mull and built by Tillotson Pearson beginning in 1987, this distinctive 45-footer stands out in the cruising sailboat world for its innovative freestanding fractional sloop rig. The Freedom 45 Ac eliminates the complexity of standing rigging entirely, using a rotating carbon fiber mast that significantly reduces maintenance requirements while offering excellent sailing performance. With its wing keel configuration drawing just under five feet, this fiberglass cruiser opens up shallow anchorages while maintaining impressive stability from its 9,500-pound ballast. The moderate displacement of nearly 23,000 pounds strikes an appealing balance between performance and load-carrying capacity, making it well-suited for extended coastal cruising and comfortable offshore passages. The boat's comfort ratio of 29.54 indicates a motion that favors seaworthiness over speed, while the capsize screening value of 1.9 demonstrates excellent stability for ocean voyaging. Gary Mull's design philosophy shines through in the generous beam and reasonable sail area, creating a platform that prioritizes ease of handling and safety. The Freedom 45 Ac appeals particularly to couples seeking a robust, low-maintenance cruiser capable of serious passages without the intimidation factor of a larger vessel.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 34.40 ft / 10.49 m
Beam 13.50 ft / 4.11 m
Max Draft 4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Displacement 22,992.00 lb / 10,429 kg
Ballast 9,500.00 lb / 4,309 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 731.00 ft² / 67.91 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Wing Keel
Rigging Type Frac. Sloop (Free standing)
Construction FG
Designer Gary Mull
Builder Tillotson Pearson Inc, (USA)
First Built 1987
Related Sailboats ["Freedom 45 Cc" · "Caliber 45" · "Tartan 4400" · "Hunter 45 Legend" · "Morgan 45 3"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 105
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 14.52
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 41.32
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 252.15
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 29.54
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.9
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.86 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.91
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,659.35 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 14.53
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 38.40 ft / 11.70 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 13.85 ft / 4.22 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 50.33 ft / 15.34 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 18.50 ft / 5.64 m
SA Fore 265.92 ft² / 24.70 m²
SA Main 465.55 ft² / 43.25 m²
SA Total (100%) 731.47 ft² / 67.96 m²
Est. Forestay Length 40.82 ft / 12.44 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Yanmar
Engine Type Diesel
How It Compares

vs. Caliber 45, Hunter 45 Legend, Tartan 4400

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Freedom 45 Ac ★
45.0 ft
Caliber 45
45.0 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
45.0 ft
Tartan 4400
45.0 ft
LWL
Freedom 45 Ac ★
34.4 ft
Caliber 45
35.8 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
38.6 ft
Tartan 4400
37.5 ft
Beam
Freedom 45 Ac ★
13.5 ft
Caliber 45
13.3 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
14.3 ft
Tartan 4400
14.1 ft
Displacement
Freedom 45 Ac ★
22 lbs
Caliber 45
29 lbs
Hunter 45 Legend
23 lbs
Tartan 4400
24 lbs
Ballast
Freedom 45 Ac ★
9 lbs
Caliber 45
12 lbs
Hunter 45 Legend
9 lbs
Tartan 4400
9 lbs
Sail Area
Freedom 45 Ac ★
731 sq ft
Caliber 45
940 sq ft
Hunter 45 Legend
900 sq ft
Tartan 4400
—
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
105 s/nm
Caliber 45
—
Hunter 45 Legend
83 s/nm
Tartan 4400
96 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
14.5
Caliber 45
16.0
Hunter 45 Legend
17.8
Tartan 4400
—
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
41.3 %
Caliber 45
41.4 %
Hunter 45 Legend
40.0 %
Tartan 4400
37.5 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
29.5
Caliber 45
36.9
Hunter 45 Legend
25.3
Tartan 4400
—
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
1.90
Caliber 45
1.74
Hunter 45 Legend
2.01
Tartan 4400
—
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
252
Caliber 45
281
Hunter 45 Legend
178
Tartan 4400
—
Hull Speed
Freedom 45 Ac ★
7.9 kts
Caliber 45
8.0 kts
Hunter 45 Legend
8.3 kts
Tartan 4400
—
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Freedom 45 Ac ★
1.9
Caliber 45
—
Hunter 45 Legend
—
Tartan 4400
2.8
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