Brion posted his thoughts on the evils of a double backstay elsewhere on the site - basically it boils down to there not being many, if any, pros and a whole bunch of cons (weight, windage, etc.) I'd put the plate as high up as can be comfortably reached from deck. This reduces the angles of the legs plenty but also allows for ease of inspection and adjustment. You also need to decide if you want a single turnbuckle above the plate or a pair at the chainplates. Either would be appropiate but if you go with the single you certainly want to reach it. You'd mentioned liking the existing setup because it's easy to adjust. If you are wanting a backstay you can adjust on the fly you can use a split backstay adjuster - the type that draws the legs together as you haul down on it. That would be another reason to not place the plate too high.
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