Bill,
As far as the comment about sheet loads being too great for women; that's what higher mechanical advantage pulley systems are for. I have 8:1 mechanical advantage on a 150sqft jib on the RC30. It is like power steering; trim the sail with one hand. The mainsheet is 16:1 and the main traveller control is 8:1. I put power steering on everything. Make it easy. Why not?
You example is not a good one. Power steering still uses the same steering rack and so has the same number of turns lock to lock. When you add purchases to a pully system, you increase the amount of rope (and so time to make the adjustment) - I would not want to sail with a purchase any greater than my 7 or 8:1 as I would not be able to dump mainsail in the gusts quick enough.
I agree it makes the final sheet loads less, but at the expense of speed to trim - Are you advocating powered systems for out cats - I don't think you are.
