You can probably pick up a boom used for a decent price. Check with the local riggers, boat yards, etc. There always seems to be old booms lieing around.

Had mid boom sheeting with the travellor on the bridge deck of our W32. Worked Okay but had the sheet lead forward to the mast then aft to a winch on the cabin top. Not a good arrangement as the multiple blocks added greatly to the force required to trim the sail so almost always had to winch it in for final trim which was slow. Would go with a 6 or 8 part two speed block system at the traveller.

Current boat with an equally long foot, went with a new internal reefing boom. Really works a treat. Sheeting is end boom with a 6 part two speed block system. All mainsail controls are run back to the cabin top at the cockpit. Can reef in less than a minute under the protection of the dodger. Boom was surprizingly cheap when purchased with a new main from Mack Sails.