Should be easier.
It depends on a few things, but having helped someone step the mast on a Day Sailer I that had the tabernacle, I'd say..DEFINITELY easier. The advantage of the hinge is that as you pivot the mast up, the shrouds will provide some guidance as the mast reaches vertical. If I were stepping the mast all alone, what I'd do is to tie a line to a bow cleat (or the trailer if the boat was still on trailer), make it long enough so that the shackle on the jib halyard can be connected to the line. Now, as you raise the mast, take up the slack in the jib halyard. Once the mast is vertical, tie off the halyard to hold the mast up, try to get it real tight. Now, just attach the forestay, insert the forawrd pin into the hinge, and ease the jib halyard. Reverse process to unstep mast. O'day (in the installation instructions for the tabernacle) says to raise the mast and insert the forward pin into the hinge and then attach forestay. I would think that should work, just don't leave it too long before attaching the forestay. Personally, I'd still use the halyard as back-up.
