So you need a second halyard just to step and lower the mast? I don't think you should need this. On my H23 with Harken furler, which also uses the jib halyard to raise the fitting on the furler that pulls up the jib, I use the single jib halyard. I'm not familiar with the mast raising system that came with your boat, but assume it uses a gin pole. To unstep: I lower the jib and remove it from the foil. It's a lot easier to handle the mast without the sail on the furler. I attach the gin pole to the mast and hook the now free jib halyard to the top fitting on the pole so it is about or slightly above horizontal. I then attach the block and tackle used to lower the mast to the lower pole fitting. I think that is your main sheet as supplied with the 26. I tension it to loosen the forestay some and then unhook the forestay from the bow chain plate (actually, I remove the furler drum that acts like a big turnbuckle but that may not apply to your furler). I then use the tackle to carefully lower the mast. Obviously opposite to raise it. If you don't want to remove the jib, I guess you'd need a second halyard, but is it worth it to have extra hardware just for two uses per season? I always felt it is better to fold and store the sails inside for the winter anyway.
