I need to proof read my posts before I post them.
I meant to say "I'm not familiar with the Seaward 17" so my comments are more general in nature.
Some genoas are cut to provide a high foot primarily to increase visibility. As you have probably noticed visibility forward is poor with a deck sweeping Genoa. Whether you can do this on your boat depends on the the sail and the length of the luff, there may not be enough room at the top of the forestay for the Genoa to be on a pennant.
Another consideration is a change in sailing characteristics. Raising the height of the sail will change the way it balances the mainsail and make the boat more tender as the center of effort will move up. The boat will heel sooner with the sail being higher. Six inches or so won't make much difference, however, raising the sail high enough to clear the life line will.
If visibility is the main concern, have a sail maker put a window in the Genoa. This will improve visibility with little effect on the sail's efficiency. If chafe is a concern, the Harken rollers will make a difference and you can get some sticky back Dacron spreader patch material and put it on the areas that are chafing.