mast lowering
You might want to check out your mast before lowering, there is a radius cut on the mast on the forward or aft side of the mast, that is the direction you want to lower it. I tried to raise my mast using the Lancer 28 manual and discovered that it won't work that way, at least it didn't for me. Just my opinion, but my mast is designed to lower aft, with or without a gin pole. I know that the companionway hatch cover complicates things but the spreaders and shrouds are swept aft, shouldn't be necessary to do more than loosen the shrouds and stays and lower it using the anchor windlass. Attaching guys as in the 28 manual is fine, but the measurement is a little off, the guys should be attached in line with the tabernacle bolt and should be minded by someone during lowereing, if they tighten up too tight, they can bend your toe rail. My experience raising using the 28 manual was a disaster although of my own making. The best advice I can give you is to get help from a rigger the first time you do it, make a checklist with every step listed, GET HELP, whoever is in charge needs to watch everything, not work the winch, not steady the mast, not hold a guy line. Make sure the weather is right for the operation, no wind. It's might be helpful to fashion a mast crutch for the cockpit that will allow you to rest the mast before it comes down on the hatch cover. there's a guy out there named Ernest Gagny that sometimes watches this forum, Brian might have contact info on him, the man used to sell Lancers, and owns a gorgeous 27ps, I'd guess he might have better info than I do. Heres my personal disclaimer to go along with all the half baked advice, I've never lowered my mast, nor have I succesfully raised it, I'm still finishing my double spreader replacement as time/money permits. All this aside, Good luck, hope your project goes smooth as silk.
Rich
