When racing PHRF, I use a Technora backstay set up with a cascade rather than the split. We pretty leave the backstay off until we start to get a little over powered and can not keep the boat flat. You probably only need a batten attached to the masthead if your main has a large roach. With a little attention, the backstay will not catch during tacks or gybes.
Also, someone (I forget who) told me that it was a 6 second penalty for runners on a J-30 on Long Island Sound, so check with your local hadicapper before spending the $$$.
