PK-
My Taipan came with midboom sheeting from Aus (it was Greg Goodall's personal demo.). Jim Boyer and Greg swear by midboom sheeting and they do NOT use cleats!! I tried it when I received my boat but ended up looking like a rookie blowing every tack in the big breeze/waves of the Great Lakes so switched to conventional/rear. I did not realize at the time (since mine and the one Jim were sailing at the regatta were the only Taipans I had seen in person) that the booms from AHPC are different for midboom vs rear sheeting. My boom is quite a bit larger in diameter and heavier due to the bending moment induced by midboom sheeting. I think the ideal arrangement (for me) is the one Wouter mentioned- so I am modifying my boat by adding an autoratchet block with becket and cleat at midboom and a small carbo block at the mainsheet tail at top block. One of the biggest advantages I see with this system is the ability to double your purchase for upwind work in breeze and ability to sheet going wild facing forward. And you can even decrease the purchase of the "main" blocks at the rear to save weight and speed for gross trim. Main disadvantage of course is you only have so much adjustment. But you can "blow" the two part system and not worry about cleating because block will act as a stop on top block. The Marstrom "A" cats use a mainsheet system inside the boom with only a single block at the traveler car. IMO running the main down to a block on the tramp only confuses me and makes the job of tacking/jibing that much more complicated. I marvelled at how Jim made it look easy. I always ended up with the line wrapped around me or something else!

Kirt