Reefing with a sliding gooseneck

[benz]

In case what the others have said needs any reinforcement, I sailed a similarly-rigged Irwin 27 between Maine and South America, and the sliding gooseneck was a handy thing to have. I would cast off the gooseneck downhaul when hoisting, hoist the sail as high as it would go, then heave on the downhaul to tension the luff. If I wanted it super tight, I would sit on the boom and then belay. The winch handles had been lost long before we owned the boat, and we never missed them at all, mostly because of the sliding gooseneck.
Ben