Hi Dave, That IS a 16 to 1 system. Because it is a doubled cascading 4 to 1 system it means that each section is 4 to 1 and that means you get equal amount of travel in each part of the system so that you quickly run ut of line in the blue part. A better approach is the 8 to 1 cascaded to a 2 to 1 system so that you can pull the 2 to 1 part really tight (stand on it with the mainsheet tight) to preload the system so that the 8 to 1 part starts out with the full amount of travel available. The blue line in your system has no easy way to adjust it so that it can easily be preloaded with the full amount of travel left to use. Therefore you use much of the available travel or line length just to get the system started. I looked at this system for a few minutes and cannot think of an easy way to make it adjustable. This is a poor system as it subtracts from travel length by the length of three blocks and a bowline knot. This would be much clearer if you had a photo to view of the popular 16 to 1 system I am describing. I do not have one or I would send it to you. I used it very effectively on my Mystere 6.0. It could really bend the mast - making a quite full sail become quite flat. We would lead the ends out to the shroud or the crew trapeeze so that it could be easily adjusted ("played") while trapezing so that in gusty winds it almost eliminated the need to play the mainsheet.

Mike