Is the current standard height for this fitting set by the rules or height of the crew for ease of use? When fitting a self launching pole fitting should/can this be set higher as the crew will not have to reach it and most photos of merlins with spinnakers flying the pole is pointing upwards reducing the effective length.
What is the optimum height?

It can be as high or low as you like.

Standard position is about 8 inches above the gooseneck from memory.

self launchers - you could theoretically set it so the pole is out at right angles to the mast for maximum pole length. However noone has yet done this.

The current pole length is probably excessively long, when the rules were changed the thinking was that pole length would stabilise somewhat shorter than maximum - naturally this did not happen and everyone went for maximum!

But that's pobably why noone has bothered to set up for a horizontal pole.

I guess it's a silly thing to say, but you will need to work this through with your pet sailmaker. Maximising the pole length will effectively need longer luffs on your kite, this will narrow the sail, for the same area and perhaps make it more of a reaching sail. Most designs, like such in life, are compromises. You will probably have to trade running performance for the luff extensions.

You are right though, that the pole eye position is set at around shoulder height for non-line launch poles (it probably is the same height as it was when we were using 6' poles too), which doesn't mean it is right for other alternatives.

It seems that there are - scarily enough - two of us i didnt post the origional message and didnt change my username!

Not talking to yourself then Chris?

Just another other Chris from up North - Thanks for the advice