a hound is probably not the best... I have a bail on mine that aligns itself with the angle as the mast raises....
my raising bail it at the 6ft mark, but 7 would be better.... just dont get it so high that you cant reach it easily.
the higher it is, the LESS tension there will be....
you can search my albums and see my system and how it connects, which works well in all conditions, no matter if you are on the water or in an un-level parking lot..... last season, as were were getting ready to trailer the boat from our vacation on lake tahoe, while we were motoring across the middle of the lake, on autopilot, with a bit of a wind, we stowed the sails, removed the boom, stowed all the lines in the manner that works for us, and lowered the mast to the rear crutch....
then we stowed the mast in the forward crutch, tied it down and secured all the wires... we were ready for the highway long before we even reached the ramp and trailer.
I designed it specifically so that I could quickly lower the mast on the water, even if a bit rough, to get under bridges, AND for ease of rigging and de-rigging while on the water...