I'd Drop The Mast
Norris, is it to late to have the seller do this for you? Can your yard unstep the mast? Your going to want to figure out a system for yourself anyways so I'd recommend searching the archives (type in mast raising) for all the helpful info listed here on the techniques. There is info at the Yahoo Oday club site too. You will want to survey the fittings at the top anyways, but if you want to just get em down and go sailin, can you bring the boat alongside a shed roof, climb to the peak, lasso the mast and heel it over, and snag the end of the halyards with a 15' boat hook? What about near a bridge (being very cautious about you and the mast).For a picture of a mast lowering system, go to Yahoo O'Day club, join, go to the pictures section and find the line drawing. I have used this method as many of us have, with help its not as daunting as you may think. I have also muscled the mast down with 2 other guys with no problem. The mast weighs about 75 lbs. Three pairs of arms can do this easily. You can drop it forward or backward once the forstay or backstay is released, and the shrouds loosened. Let us know how its coming.Don