raising the mast alone on a 17
Youkon terr, this one is for you, hope it helps. I am 49 and the task is a bit scarry as I stand that stick upright. This is a task that I have done alone in about 15 to 20 minutes. With the shrouds port and starboard always attached, slide the mast back so that the rear pin lines up in the tabernacle, and insert it. This task is easier if you can rest the back of the mast in a mast support through the gudgeons. Attach a 6 foot line between the head end of the jib halyard (where it usually attaches to the sail) and the stemhead, and grasp the other end of the halyard tail in one hand taking up the slack, as you walk the mast up with the other hand. When it is upright, cleat the halyard, (which will hold the mast in place), insert the forward tabernacle pin, and go to the bow and attach the forestay to the stemhead. Release the halyard and remove the short bit of line you used to extend it. (Reverse the process to walk the mast down into the rear mast support before trailering, then taking the mast off the tabernacle, I slide it forward to rest it in a crutch above the trailer winch. I tie it down in both crutches if trailering any distance, but over winter, I use the mast as a ridge pole for a tarp that covers everything. I do keep the tiedown strap tightly cinched amidship during this operation, even though it is a tripping hazard. I also suspect that a side wind may hamper the above steps when working alone, but surprisingly, it is easier to do than it sounds, and the shrouds do keep the mast fairly well in line the higher it is raised, when it matters most. The trickiest part of using this method, is making sure no lines end up on the wrong side of any rigging aloft. Spinnaker and main halyards are particularly tricky if wound around each other or the wrong side of the spreaders higher than you can reach. Hope this helps.
