Hi Nick,

welcome to the F16 class, I hope you go ahead with the project boat, Freestyle 474. I have never heard of the boat down south, it may be a USA built/designed boat, as it looks like our friends over there know it. So we may have to rely on them for more info.

On the lowering of bridle front, be very careful, as I found with "Altered" the loads are not to be under estimated. Reinforcing only realy works if it is done inside the hull putting in horizontal panel worked for "Altered" and was no problem for McKenzie Composites you can't even tell the bottoms where cut off hulls to put it in.

The alternatives to reinforcing hulls are putting spreader in bridle like some Nacra's, I think they call it a floating beam. Or leaving bridle where it is and tacking jib down to pole with a strut in between. You can see this on many of the photo's on Forum, I think the most recent shots showing it was of the Stealth at UK event?

How high is Bridle above bows at moment perhaps we can get some measurements from others to compare it to and give you an idea of how far you need to change it. As far as hull laminates I think it would be hard to compare as the stuctures inside make a big difference as well.

As you say mast is a easy fix, you can possibly pick up secondhand Super Wing Taipan mast there is one on their Website at the moment, or do what I did get secondhand A class mast and put timber web inside it, bringing it up to weight and making it bullet proof .

Anyway good luck with it and just ask if you need help, there is usualy somebody here that knows something .

Regards Gary.