If you are changing your halyards, you could go for something that's much lighter and yet less stretchy. I found some instructions on the site L-36.com and have built myself some halyards from 1/8" Amsteel Blue with tails of some cheaper and more grippy double braid of larger diameter spliced to them for pulling and cleating (XLS or something like that). I even replaced the shackle for the jib with a soft shackle (using instructions from the same site).
On another boat I use halyards made from FSE Robline "Dinghy Control", I believe in 4mm (at that diameter that line is strong enough to nearly lift your boat). There, I don't have a tail, as the line has a cover and is easy enough to grip and cleat as is. The advantages are that the line has very low stretch and the diameter (because of it's Dyneema SK75 core) can be kept a size or two thinner. That cuts both weight aloft and windage which is a good thing to think about when you are rerigging anyway.
Barber haulers do make a difference, just remember to rig them so that they are cleated on the opposite side (the lines should form an X). That way, the cleats will be easier to reach when you are sitting on the windward side. I cleat mine just a few inches on the windward side of the centerline. I have to lean back in the boat a bit to reach them, but you'll find you don't need to adjust them all that often. Cleated on the leeward side they would effectively be out of reach and that's annoying if you forgot to set them before the tack.