Not terribly different than the 22
Steve, Sounds like you are dreading it -- but it's not that big of a deal. When you say that you "have experience with the 22" does that mean you've raised and lowered the mast on the 22 with any frequency? If so, same rules apply: 1) don't let the mast fall to the side (you'll quickly lose control of it, some folks use baby stays); 2) keep all the shrouds and miscellaneous lines clear from getting hung up on something; and 3) don't fall off the boat while it's on the trailer (although you could find it easier to raise the mast while on the water -- different strokes for different folks). Seriously, it is all the same....the 25's mast is a little bigger, but it's not unmanageable. I'm guessing that you keep the boat in the water so you don't go through the raising/lowering much, thus your concern. I'm also assuming that you have help. Use some sort of gin pole and a block/tackle system to give you leverage (think about the baby stays) and it's a walk in the park. A furler will complicate the routine just a tad, but with two people even that's not really a big deal and a third person makes it a non-issue altogether. Heck, with a third person you wouldn't even need the gin pole/block and tackle, but it's so much safer that way. Don't let it freak you out. Brad
