Hi guys,

My name's Matt and I'm from Canberra in Australia. Hi!

I purchased an old Freestyle 474 locally here in Australia a few months ago. As happens with a boat that's probably more than 30 years old, there's a few things modified/lost that are confusing for me, and I'd appreciate the collective experience you all may be able to offer me please. I should also add, I'm new to sailing...never sailed before!

1) Traveller - it has a traveller car on the rear beam. It's a boomless main. However, I suspect there's bits missing from the traveller that I need help with. What is the standard Freestyle traveller system? This is the car:


You can see I've just tied it off so as to have it locked in position, but this isn't really working for me.

You can't quite see the eyelet on the back of the rear beam that I suspect allows a figure 8 knot tied to it much like a Hobie 16 (like in this photo http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=63062)

I'm pretty sure it should have a captive cam cleat somewhere in front of the car? Either on the front of the rear beam like in the Hobie 16, or elsewhere. But there's nothing that I can see and no evidence of there having been anything? There's no evidence of any cleats or pulleys at either end of the rear beam either which to me implies it's not like some of the more complicated traveller setups in some of the newer boats? The hole you can at the front of the car has wear marks suggesting something was attached to it and pivoted on it...but what?

2) Jib - the boat has been retrofitted with a small jib. However, the rigging for the jib is also confusing.

In the photo above, you can see two blocks in the middle of the tramp on wires that join the front to the rear beam. They are covered in foam and handily are also foot supports...but it begs the question what they're for? In the photos I've been able to find of other Freestyle 474's, none of them have these blocks...why?

There's also this sheet that runs across the front beam (see below)...I'd initially thought this as some sort of mast rotating limiter (for some reason) but, although it's sitting behind the ball in the photo, I've now put it in front of the ball and am wondering if it's a way to control the jib? Admittedly without cam cleats it's going to be more difficult, but it would probably still function?




3) The main halyard pulley at the top of the mast is missing. It's been replaced/modified and the original mast hook has been ground off. Consequently there's nothing to secure the main sail when it's raised except a good knot at the base of the mast...and I'm not that good...as soon as I try and put some downhaul on, it inevitably loosens. I'm interested to get any photos of the original hook setup please?

Thanks in advance for any and all assistance.

Matt