Instead of taking up or letting out line with your hands, you can increase and decrease line tension by sweeping your arm (different from the forbidden leg sweep ) . Not quite 11:00 yet, but let's go to the video....
Like idea of a passthrough wand, but think I would be immediately replace the split ring with a solid stainless ring. Prohibitively expensive at marine supply stores.... but lower spec ones are fairly cheap at the big box "hardware" stores.
ATB,
Sam