Pete, I will measure mine tomorrow and let you know, but from experience, it's just a little higher than my shoulders when kneeling at mid tramp.

You can hoist from either tack if you then run it to the back, but it's much easier and quicker if you always set on starboard, as you should when going left around A mark anyway.

For the drop you only need to yank it hard once, to get it out of the clete, on either gybe, even way at the back of the tramp, then start pulling the snuffer line like a madman. Quick hands is the solution.

But you will need two hands to get it in fast, so...who's driving?

That's why quicker is better and a little earlier drop at the gate is better than later, so you can then get all set up for upwind, (boards, cunningham, rotator) hook in and get out on the wire as you round.