Lowering the Mast

Rig topping lift and mainsheet so boom is perpendicular to mast. Snug mainsheet. When mast is fully lowered the boom will be vertical and you might want to make sure your mainsheet is long enough to go that far before you go any proceed.

Remove aft lowers and rig them through blocks to sheet winches.


Remove backstay.

Grab headstay and pull aft to get mast moving forward - easing mainsheet and sheet winches. The mainsheet controls the lowering and the aft lowers (sheeted to she sheet winches) are used to keep the mast centered.

Keep sheeting out on the main while keeping the lowers snug at the winches..
As the mast goes lower, the sheet winches will need to work harder as the mainsheet will lose it's centering ability.

 There is a point when the aft lowers to the sheet winches will become less and less effective, but by this time the mast can be steadied by hand from the foredeck.

Lower the mast all the way down. If you have a tabernacle, the mast heel will be pinned firm to the tabernacle, but even without a tabernacle we did not experience the mast heel wanting to come up off the step.