We like the Yankee cut for the reasons you mention, plus that fact that the higher clew sail sets quite well with the wind well aft. We can fly our jib (visible at http://mccubbin.ca/Poiriers.htm) with the wind only about 20 degrees of the stern, without a pole.
Our yankee has only about 10% overlap, but a Yankee with about 25% overlap worked OK on our previous boat.
We find that the key to tacking is to always fly the staysail too, and to hold it aback until the jib has popped through the gap.
Of course tis would not work with a self tacking staysail.