Sea Trial was in Tampa Bay on Saturday March 28. It was blowing steady 25 knots. The bay was full of white water. I easily spotted the Freeman and was impreased by the lines and room on the boat. The twin 350 Yamaha seemed to fit the boat nicley. After talking with the owner for a bit we took it out on the bay. Did feel some spray in the no wake zone where the wind was blowing across the beam and the waves were slapping the side of the boat. Once we made it to the open bay Steve pushed up the throttles and she jumped right to plain and before I knew it we were crossing a 2 1/2' chop dead into a 25 knot wind at 40 MPH, 4000 RPM and 26 GPH carrying 300 gallons of fuel. We passed what appeared to be a 30' or larger boat that was heading the same direction and as we watched his bow bobbing up and down with the spray flying I thought to myself "sucks to be him". Ran through his wake and never noticed it. Then he pushed the throttles further foward and we hit 53 MPH at 5300 RPM as we reached the deeper water of the open bay and the wave got a little bigger. That was the first time I felt the boat on the waves which had to be 3' white caps at that point. We pulled it back so I could see how she drifted in a beam sea and it narley rolled. Very impressive. After drifting for several minutes I noticed the boat we had passed had finally caught up to us. And he was still bobbing like a boxer. We ran back in with the wind and she was rock solid again. It was a short Sea Trial but I was very impressed. I would love to see what she could do in steep 4 in the open ocean and I think we could have found at least that had we taken her there but my wife, who is a land lover, was with us and I didn't want to push it. That fact that she was not clinging to me and asking to go back is a testement to the Freeman. Rick can tell you that. The one thing I wish I had done was ask Steve to take an agressive turn in those conditions. Guess I'll neeed to go back and do it again. Hopefully it will be blowing like it was.

Anyway I intend to Sea Trial some of the 34 monohulls CC Rick mentions to see how the rides compare. I was hoping to get an offer from some of the interested parties on this board that are in or near VA so I won't need to fly back to FLA. I have been on a 33 world cat and a 30 GB. The GB did not even come close. In my opinion the really screwed the pouch with that design. Too big and heavy for displacement. The 33 World Cat ran well but the Freeman was better for me as far as ride goes. I've been on smaller monohull CCs and larger battle wagons but never been on a monohull CC of the breed mentioned. Rickster keeps telling me you can run them 40 MPH in 3 to 5 foot seas. My question is are there any faces on those and how far are they apart? If you can run those boats in close 4' seas with semi steep faces at 40 MPH I need to experience it for myself.

I should close this by saying I have a 26' GB and I'm looking to go bigger. I really like the Freeman 33 and the ride she gives you along with fuel economy. If I can get that in a comparable size high performance monohull CC I'd like to know it. If anyone here in the mid atlantic can help me out I'd be willing to cover any expenses.