Well, this makes perfect sense, and your insights and suggestions are exactly what I was looking for.

First of all, I am using a double chainplate at the bridle, and I pin the forestay in the top hole of that combo. What surprised me during my first setup with the new shrouds (pre-pinned in the top hole of the chainplates) was that the forestay just barely reached the pinning point. So my geometry with the new shrouds is very close to my geometry with my old shrouds... there's just not a lot of extra space and slop during the setup of the rigging.

I need to replace the forestay, and I'll expect it to be longer than the one I have, and perhaps I can get rid of the extra chainplate at the bow.

I know about how the jib is the "real" forestay on the boat, once tensioned. I usually pull enough that the "rigging forestay" has a few inches of looseness in it. I will be replacing my sails later this year (they're the original ones!) and when I do, I'll expect that the cut of the new jib will work better on the raked mast setup. The way it is now, the jib rides so high (ten inches higher than it should, it seems) that I can't get the right shape when I sheet in... it pulls the clew downwards too much, instead of aftwards.

Oh well... one thing at a time. Thank you for your advice!