Dueling experts

[JohnV]

Ian, you're right that accessiblity is a problem. So is standing under the boom while you uncleat the control line with one hand and hold the boom up with the other.
The coated wire doesn't seem to be chafing.
Maybe what I should do is try the spare halyard/topping lift combination. An advantage I can see is that it gives me a spare halyard but with only one additional line down the mast, since the other end goes out to the boom end. And another reason to add a boom gallows.
Thank you for your thoughts.