I put my H260 in the water this past Labor Day - better late then never. I had problems with my slip and I started one to many boat projects which took too long to finish. Last year, when I put the boat up for the winter, I noticed the mast, while still on the trailer, had a significant bend in it. I figured it was from the "diagonal" shrouds. I loosened up the turn buckles on the diagonals and took the bend out of the mast. I thought I should take the tension out of the mast just like I take the weight off the trailer springs by blocking it up. When I stepped the mast the prior spring I remembered the hardest step is getting the roller furled jib forestay into the fitting on the bow. This year I opened the port and starbord shroud turn buckles so that it would be easy to connect the forestay/roller furled jib. This year when I stepped the mast I still had trouble attaching the forestay/roller furled jib. My questions are: 1.) Could I have lost that much length in the forestay/roller furled jib by not having the bend in my mast since I had not re-tightened the diagonals. 2.) Are the port and starbord shrouds suppose to be inside or outside the lifelines. When I stepped my mast I had to loosen my lifelines. The lower shroud looks OK but the upper shroud looks like it belongs outside the lifeline. 3.) I read that wonderful article I found in an archive reference "The B&R Rig" @ www.hunterowners.com/ref/br.html. I wasn't sure of two terms. I would appreciate an explanation of what a "sheerline by the mast" is. Also the article refers to upper, lower & intermediate shrouds. As I understand it, we only have upper and lower shrouds on the standard H260. Please let me know if I have misunderstood something and if there are intermediate shrouds on the H260. Thanks so much, Bob, S/V Joy-Sea