I found that pushing the pop top up with one hand and then holding it up with my head and then raising the pin in the channel and then trying to thread the wing nut thing into the pin thing and hoping for the best,was getting me down. So, I finally drilled a 3/8 inch hole in the mast at the height of the hole in the pop top(when raised) and placed a 3/8 inch stainless bolt with a nylon nut to secure it to the mast. Now when I raise the pop top it lines up with the bolt threaded end, and I turn a brass wing nut on and secure it in one easy motion. I only hope I didn't weaken the mast with the hole.. So far it works very well. The bolt was stainless 61/2 inch long.