More said, and more intelligently than I could put it, here:
http://www.uk-cherub.org/doku.php/tech/riggingThe reason I'm using the diamond setup for the uppers is to 1) make it adjustable with one string since they end up together and 2) to reduce mast step compression since my rig rotates, and more pressure is more friction and makes the rotation more difficult.
I'm not completely happy with my current setup at the moment- I'm getting about half the adjustment that I want. So give me some time to get it working right before going down the same road. Otherwise, the failsafe method is just a tang and turnbuckle (or two) on the mast near the base, or a micro-purchase (see the
12:1 setup on the Swift Solo site, using Harken micro blocks, that winds up as big as your thumb or so) and cleat.
There's a drawing of Kevin's chainplate lurking
around here- basically a hunk of 1/8" stainless, wide enough to get at least three turnbuckles/holes across the top, and long enough to go through the deck and overlap the bulkhead below by several inches so you can get a handful of bolts through. Think about access, and make sure you can get the bolts in their holes later in the acute angled space.