45' Freedom 45 Center Cockpit 1989

The Freedom 45 CC Thumper III is designed as a high-volume, performance conscious, cruising boat. She is the center cockpit version with two cabins, two heads (one with a separate shower), spacious salon and galley with 6’ 5” of headroom below. The spacious owner's cabin with a centerline queen berth is a lovely place to relax, and friends have nearly the same amount of space in their private forward cabin. Both spaces are equipped with en-suite heads. 

On deck Thumper III has a large sugar scoop transom swim platform with ladder, spacious center cockpit, and manageable sail area carried by her free-standing carbon fiber mast. You read that right, free standing carbon fiber, meaning no standing rigging to replace! With a self-tacking “Camberspar” jib, the crew can sit back and enjoy the sail without having to tend any sheets during a tack, as the skipper utilizes the boat’s remarkable sailing capabilities. 

Tillitson-Pearson Inc. (now TPI composites) hired Gary Mull to re-design the Freedom line and the first 45-foot hull was commissioned in 1987 modeled after the previous 42-foot version. This newer version boasts a larger swim step and a larger cabin house, reminiscent of Mull’s Ranger 26, and much better sailing performance than its predecessor. In the build process, care was taken to ensure the deck and hull layup was sound and would last for years to come. To this day, TPI stands behind the Freedom line and remains a helpful resource for owners.  

Highlights:

• New bottom paint (2023 Seaview Boatyard - 2 coats, Seahawk Sharkskin) 
• Full exterior detail 
• New North Sails stack pack sail cover (2023)
• New headliner in salon, galley, and salon side decks 
• New main salon cabin windows 
• Exterior teak varnished  

Interior Accommodations

Beginning forward is the guest cabin with en-suite head. The V-berth style bunk is 6’2” long with 6’1” of standing headroom. The hull sides are lined with wood battens creating a warm atmosphere. The overhead is paneling covered in white vinyl and held in place with teak battens. Daylight easily finds its way in through the large overhead hatch and two opening portlights on either side of the hull. Soft lighting is available through indirect LED strip lights hidden behind shelves along the hull. Storage is plentiful in this space; six small drawers, two larger drawers below the bunk, and a cedar lined hanging locker. The en-suite head is just aft and to starboard. The space is quite generous for a guest head and features a Raritan manual flush toilet, navy blue Corian countertops, two storage lockers and 6’ of standing headroom.  

Situated centrally is the main salon. Here, there is 6’5” of headroom and enough seating for a dinner party. The port side has a linear 6’ 3” settee with book storage, built-in cocktail bar, and media storage at the forward end. A Dickinson Antarctic heater warms the cabin effectively and offers a cozy atmosphere on chilly days. The starboard side of the salon has an L-shaped settee and a large, custom fixed table that opens up to accommodate 6 people for dinner with storage below. The settee has storage outboard along the hull and above there is a large cabinet for storage. The main salon is bright, spacious and accommodating for dinner parties or large scale projects while cruising.  

The U-shaped galley is part of the main salon just aft on the port side with Corian countertops throughout. The large stainless single basin sink is to the left when entering the galley with storage below and concealed access to the engine. There is a large stainless drainboard for a dish rack to the right of the sink. The adjoining countertop at the bottom of the ‘U’ is ideal for food and plate prep with three drawers for cooking utensils and one cabinet for dinnerware, making for ease in meal preparation. On the outboard side of the galley is countertop access to the refrigerator, a three-burner stove with oven, and another spacious countertop with a trash compactor below. Above and along the hull are three cabinets that hinge down for extra counter surface, and are excellent for food and spice storage as well as for other frequently used items. A microwave oven is built into the bulkhead over the countertop at the aft end of the galley space.  

The companionway separates the galley from the navigation station and conceals the engine but provides excellent access for maintenance. The entrance into the main salon has five steps and its design keeps the main salon feeling spacious when entertaining a large group down below.

The navigation station is on the starboard side opposite the galley. It features a large flip up chart table, and a swing out seat with front and center access to the electronics. Three drawers are to the right including a filing cabinet for important ships papers, tools or quick grab items. Along that face and farther aft is a top loading freezer compartment and a hanging locker or pantry. The main AC/DC electronics panel is opposite the nav station.  

Through the passageway and aft is the master cabin and en-suite head. This large aft stateroom has a walkaround queen berth with custom Tempurpedic mattress, tons of light, and a generous amount of storage. A large hanging locker is immediately to the left when entering the cabin and three drawers for storage with a small countertop follow next aft. Two drawers are below the bunk and on the port side of the cabin there is another countertop with a mirror above and three drawers below. There is also a Dickenson Newport propane heater for cold nights.  

The en-suite head is accessed through a cherry trimmed doorway on the port side of the cabin. There is a manual flush, Raritan toilet separated from the shower stall by a half bulkhead and the sink is almost on centerline. The shower stall has a teak grate and built in seat outboard with a brass towel bar and hand hold along the forward bulkhead of the compartment. There is a handheld shower nozzle with a single faucet for temperature adjustment. There is storage outboard, a singular opening portlight and two light fixtures overhead.   

Electronics and Navigation

• Delta Marine wind, speed, and depth displays at nav station 
• Delta Marine speed, depth and apparent wind at companionway 
• Ocean PC at nav station  
• Raytheon R40 radar display at nav station 
• Raytheon R40 dome 
• Fruno GPS at companionway 
• Icom VHF at nav station 
• Uniden handheld submersible VHF with back up battery 
• Com Nav Marine autopilot with wired remote 
• Ritchie magnetic compass (June 2023) 
• 19” Sharp Flat screen TV in salon with built in DVD player
• Toshiba VCR  
• Technics sound tuner 
• Technics stereo amplifier 
• Technics stereo cassette deck player 
• Technics CD player

Electrical systems

• AC/DC electrical panel 
• 30 amp Marineco shore power inlet 
• 30 amp 50’ shore power cord 
• 12v DC power 
• Heart Freedom 20 inverter/battery charger 
• (8) 6v deep cycle Interstate Batteries (Jan 2022) 
• (2) Dyno 8D batteries  

Mechanical and plumbing systems

• Yanmar 4JH-HTBE engine 3104 hours 
• 3-blade Max-Prop
• Max prop (serviced 2023) 
• Morse throttle control 
• Racor fuel filter 
• Kanzaki KM4A transmission 
• Rule 2000 gph 12v submersible bilge pump with automatic float switch 
• Grunert refrigeration and freezer with 5.36 refrigerator and separate freezer (recharged Aug 2023 - Hooker Marine) 
• 150 gal fresh water total (2x 75gal tanks)
• (2) 20lb propane tanks 
• 72 gal diesel fuel 
• Dickenson “Antarctic“ diesel cabin heater in main salon 
• Dickenson “Newport” propane furnace in master cabin 
• Broan trash compactor 
• GE microwave oven 
• “Whale Gusher” manual bilge pump 
• Jabsco Par-Max water pump 
• Marelon seacocks 
• Force-10 3-burner propane stove with broiler 
• (2) Raritan manual toilets 
• (2) holding tanks 15 gal each 
• Hot water heater 
• Moen handheld shower faucet 
• Grohe sink faucet 
• Direct dock water hook-up 

Deck and Hull

The topsides of Thumper III are a white gelcoat that has been recently cut and waxed. There is a dark blue boot stripe at the waterline with black Seahawk Sharkskin bottom paint applied in February of 2023. A rub rail runs the length of the topsides which is visually pleasing to the eye because of the large freeboard. A freshly varnished teak toe rail makes the transition from hull to deck well and adds function when sailing. The decks have molded-in non-skid, and the cabin top is white gel coat. A varnished teak eyebrow trim accents the cabin house just above the house windows.  

Both the hull and deck are laid with a fiberglass skin and Balsa core. Vinylester barrier resin was used in construction and Tillotson-Pearson took care in the build process to eliminate any voids. Balsa core lends excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties. Taking care to properly install deck fittings and additional fasteners is imperative. The hull and deck are fastened together by stainless fasteners and permanent adhesive caulk, or 3M-5200. 

• Double stainless bow roller 
• CQR anchor 
• 20 Kg Bruce anchor 
• New Ground tackle ~250ft (200ft of 5/16" chain & ~50ft 5/8" 3 braid Nylon rope) (2023)
• New Anchor windlass, Maxwell HRC 10-8 with foot pedal down switch (2023) 
• Anchor washdown pump 
• (6) deck cleats 
• 28” stanchions with covered lifelines 
• 2” varnished teak toe rail 
• (5) Lewmar deck hatches 
• Stainless hand rails 
• New fixed main cabin windows 
• Gray canvas dodger 
• North Sails stack pack mainsail cover (new 2023) 
• Teak cockpit combing 
• Teak cockpit table 
• Forespar dinghy davits 
• Stainless radar pole 
• Outboard bracket on transom 
• Teak ensign staff 
• Stern shower   
• Liferaft mounting lash points 
• ABI deck hatch latches 
• Edson steering pedestal  
• Cockpit cushions

 Sails and Rigging

• Tillotson-Pearson (now TPI composites) carbon fiber mast 
• Aluminum boom 
• North sails main sailfully battened 
• North sails self-tacking“canberspar”jibfully battened 
• Rigid Quick boom vang 
• Lazy jacks 
• Main halyard 
• Jib halyard 
• Sheave and exit on mast for optional spinnaker halyard 
• Flag halyard 
• Barient 28+ ST electric winch 
• Barient 27 ST winch 
• Lewmar line clutches 

Safety and Miscellaneous

• Fire extinguishers (2 - 1A10BC, 2 - 3A40BC ) 
• 8” Ships bell 
• 4” Quartz clock and barometer 
• Teak & Holly sole throughout 
• Interior carpet (cleaned and ready for reinstall) 
• Fenders 
• Docklines 
• Boat hook 
• BBQ grill 
• Flares 
• Life jackets 
• Extra traditional boat mattress for master cabin berth