Regarding the discussion of the backstay setup on J/29s: I haven't seen the specific setup you mention where the backstay is "... threaded through an 18" batten to keep the backstay away from the roach of the sail..." I would encourage anyone considering this sort of setup to seriously consider the loads involved. With a slack backstay or in light airs it may be fine, but if a blow of any sort comes up it sounds like you could tear up your sail badly or even compromise the rig. Just a thought.
