Freeman vs. Invincible 35–37 Catamarans for Orange Beach

Freeman vs. Invincible: 35–37-Foot Cats for Orange Beach Runs

Why this comparison matters on our coast

I help a lot of boat-minded buyers who want a platform that can run from Orange Beach to the Spur or Nipple in comfort, then idle back into Terry Cove without drama. In that 35–37-foot sweet spot, two names come up constantly: Freeman and Invincible. Both build fast, capable cats with serious range and fishability. The right choice depends on how you use the boat and where you plan to keep it among our marinas and slips around Orange Beach and Ono Island.

The quick spec snapshot

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Ono Island Boathouses: Old River & Bayou St. John vs. Canal Rules | Meredith Folger

Building a Boathouse on Ono Island: My Owner’s Guide to “Big Water” vs. Canal Rules

I’m Meredith Amon, a homeowner on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ and a Gulf Coast real estate advisor licensed in Alabama and Florida. I work with owners, architects, and builders to design boathouses that meet the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) standards while fitting the way you actually use your boat. The rules are different on Old River & Bayou St. John (what I call “big water”) versus canal lots, and understanding those differences up front saves time, money, and headaches.

You’ll find property search links and neighborhood guidance throughout this article, including Orange Beach…

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Ono Island Boathouses, Docks, and Piers — Permits, Design Tips, and Buyer Guidance

Boathouses, Docks, and Piers on Ono Island: A Practical Owner’s Guide

By sunset, Old River turns to gold and the silhouettes of boathouses and piers say everything about how we live on Ono Island. I’m often asked how to plan, permit, and build waterfront structures here—especially the differences between “big water” on Old River and Bayou St. John versus the interior canals. Below is the way I advise homeowners and buyers, with direct links to help you start smart.

Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/
Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/
Boating & Waterfront Living — https://www.searchthegulf.com/boating-accommodations-on-the-gulf-coast/
Ono Island New Construction —…

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Boating the Gulf Corridor: Orange Beach, Perdido Key & Ono Island

Boating the Gulf Corridor: Orange Beach, Perdido Key & Ono Island

On the Gulf Coast, our lives follow the tides. From Orange Beach to Ono Island and east to Perdido Key, I match buyers with the right home and the right water. Depths and drafts matter as much as porches and views—because your dock is your front door to adventure.

The Waterways That Shape Our Days

Bayou St. John

Broad, protected water on the north side of the corridor. Steady depths and a forgiving lee make it ideal for year-round moorage and family cruising.

Old River

The south ribbon between Ono Island and Perdido Key. A scenic, reliable channel with sandbars along the inside…

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Homes and Waterfront Properties on Old River, Ono Island

Waterfront Properties on Old River, Ono Island

Life Along Old River: The Southern Edge of Ono Island

As a homeowner and real estate advisor on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, I’ve always been drawn to the quiet beauty and rhythm of Old River, the stretch of water that defines the island’s southern edge. Facing the Gulf of Mexico, this side of Ono Island offers something truly special — a landscape shaped by tides, breezes, and open water views that stretch toward the horizon.

Homes and vacant lots on Old River are located along Ono Boulevard and River Road, both of which trace the shoreline and provide residents with direct access to boating, fishing, and waterfront living. The southern exposure brings a…

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Boater’s Field Manual to Ono Island Canals — Bayou St. John Access, Depths & Dock Design

THE BOATER’S FIELD MANUAL TO ONO ISLAND’S SIX CANALS

How boats actually reach these canals 

If your dock is on the north side of Ono Island, your boat lives on water that empties directly into Bayou St. John. From there you run east or west—Perdido Pass, Terry Cove, Cotton Bayou, and the Perdido Key side—without ever needing to go anywhere near the Ono Island automobile bridge. In practice, canal owners rarely pass under the Ono bridge at all. So think bayou routes, not bridge clearances.

Quick orientation: the six north canals (west → east)

• Canal 1 – St. John Dr & Heron Ct (near the island’s west side)

• Canal 2 – Ono Blvd, Ono North Loop W, plus 5 homes on River Rd

• Canal 3 – Shoalwater Dr

• Canal 4…

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Ono Island’s Six Canals — Bayou St. John Waterfront Guide (Orange Beach, AL)

The Six Canals of Ono Island: A Waterfront Guide to Bayou St. John

By Meredith Folger Amon — Licensed in Alabama and Florida

At first light, the northern edge of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ glows soft and still. The mirror-like surface of Bayou St. John ripples only slightly as egrets rise from the reeds and a trawler eases toward Perdido Pass. From above, six slender canals carve graceful inlets into the island’s northern shoreline, connecting hundreds of waterfront homes to the bayou’s deep, protected waters. Each canal has its own character — its own rhythm — and together they form one of the most distinctive boating communities on the entire Alabama Gulf Coast.

Understanding Ono Island’s Northern Canal…

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Orientation: Light, Breeze, and View — Living with the Elements on Ono Island

Orientation: Light, Breeze, and View — Living with the Elements on Ono Island

There’s something deeply Southern about the way Ono Island breathes — the salt air, the sway of marsh grass, and the rhythm of tide and light. Here along Old River, the sun and wind dictate the day as surely as the church bells do in small coastal towns. The island’s southern exposure creates its own microclimate — breezier in summer, slightly warmer in winter — and orientation becomes the invisible design element that shapes how life unfolds.

Morning Light and Evening Glow

When I walk a vacant lot with buyers, I suggest: paying attention to the light. The direction your home faces can define the feeling inside it.

East-facing lots welcome the first light…

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Valhalla V-37: The Orange Beach Boater’s Dream

VALHALLA V-37: THE ORANGE BEACH BOATER’S DREAM

Every so often, a boat catches your eye and you know instantly—it was built for this stretch of coastline. That’s exactly how I feel about the Valhalla Boatworks V-37 by Viking. Sleek, powerful, and polished, this quad-powered center console turns heads every time she glides past Terry Cove or rounds the markers at Perdido Pass. She’s more than a fishing machine—she’s a symbol of the refined boating lifestyle that defines Orange Beach, Alabama.

• Draft (engines up): ~28 inches (2.3 ft)

• Draft (engines down): ~40–41 inches (3.3–3.4 ft)

• Beam: 10 ft

• Length Overall: 36 ft 9 in

• Weight: Around 16,700 lb (half load); about 17,500 lb with quad engines

• …

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Top 10 Design Considerations for Building on Old River, Ono Island

Top 10 Design Considerations for Building on Old River, Ono Island

Building Along the Edge of the Gulf

When I walk a vacant lot along Old River — https://www.searchthegulf.com/homes-and-waterfront-properties-on-old-river-ono-island/, I see more than land — I see how the light falls across it, how the tide shifts, and how a home could rise with balance and purpose. Building here, along the southern edge of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, is both a privilege and a craft.

Every decision — from how high the slab sits to how far the dock extends — carries both aesthetic and regulatory weight. Below, I’ve shared ten design considerations that I discuss with clients and builders before any form board is set or…

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