Smart thought on the extra pully! I approve the other answers too. I'm always curious what people are doing and those seem like some good improvements.

I've had to pull out the "cleat" on the Clacka foot release more than once to grind/sharpen it as it gets grooves from the rope and won't hold. It is fine (for now) but I'd really like to move to a Lee-Lock as I think it is a vastly superior design.

I've also had issues with the thumb bolts that keep the seats from sliding. They screw into plastic so it is no surprise they strip through. I've now got 8 chunks of 2x4 holding my seats in their position. It looks very much like the ghetto version of your boat.