DSC08342 This mast only weighs about 65 lbs and it's easy to raise without the Gin Pole. I used to raise the mast by hand and use a 3/8"X 60' nylon line with a sheave connected to the bow stem chainplate to hold the mast up. I spliced an eye on one end of the line and connected it to my Jib shackle. The Jib halyard was raised and cleated to the mast with the line running through the sheave on the bow. Once the mast was up, I'd take the line around the mast above the goose neck fitting, and tie it off to my starboard bow cleat after pulling all the slack out of the line. Then the fore stay could be connected. If you have a quick release lever on your backstay or a Johnson Handy-Lock, you can throw enough slack into your forestay so that you can remove it. You never need to touch the other turnbuckles on the O'Day 222. A press button quick pin can be used on the fore stay. Do not use a fast pin!