try a gin pole
Kenny, the process you describe is correct. I lower the mast on my Oday 23 aft. I leave all shrouds but the forestay attached. If your jib halyard is long enough, you can attach it the the stem head fitting, put a couple of wraps on the winch on the mast and cleat it off. Pull the forward pin in the mast step, detach the forestay and lower away, keeping tension on the jib halyard as you go. If you need to pause for anything you simply cleat the halyard off to stop the process. Two people can easily lower the mast this way (one handles the halyard while the other keeps the mast centered, which eventually lands on the pushpit. Then I pull the other pin in the step and walk the mast forward to the pulpit. The mast rests on the pulpit and pushpit, with a short crutch in the mast step to support the middle. You reverse the process the raise the mast.There are two methods you can use for some mechanical advantage during this process: a gin pole or A frame. I rigged a gin pole last fall and it worked pretty well. The real test will be when I use it to raise the mast this spring. Good Old boat has a good article on their webb site on this topic and small craft advisor had a good primer a couple of years ago.