Bob,

I would try taking some of the rake out of the mast. You can leave the forestay wherever you like because once the jib is up the forestay does nothing. The wire in the luff of the jib becomes the forestay and you use it to pull the rig tight and the mast forward. You should always backwind the jib to come about and when you get around to where the wind goes from one side to the other of the main, you let the jib go. It should come across the mast if the breeze is up. My shrouds are at the top of the adjusters and I seem to have enough rake.

I have no experience with the hinges so don't know what to tell you. I certainly would not give up on the 16 and go back to the 14. I have sailed my 16 since it was new in '85 (20 years) and haven't found the "hang up" of the battens to be much of a problem.

Howard