Ashley, lowering the gate is easy, just do it very slowly and very carefully, will look and work just fine. I made my gate just large enough for the boom slide to fit in easily, no more. And I positioned my gate low enough that when the S/S cotter key (just above the gate) is pulled out, the boom can be lowered into the gate and moved aft out of the gate IF you raise the aft end of the boom slightly above the cabin sliding hatch. OR, just the right position if you put a PFD cushion on the cabin top to protect both boom and cabin, and just slide it aft on the cushion. As soon as it is out, the main comes the rest of the way down and all the slugs come out easily. Let me know (anyone!) if you do this and like it. Cheers, John .--.-. | ( ( )__ \ _ / (_, \ ) ,_) | -== (_) ==- -'--`--' /|\ / \ / | \ | ^^ / | \ / | \ ^^ /361| \ / | \ / | \ ^^ / | \ ___/____| \ ______|_ \ ___ _______/ ==== \___\___/ | “MONTGOMERY 15” / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~^~~^=~^~~-=~^~^~=~^~=~~^~= ~^~=~~^=~^~~^~^=~^~-~^~~^~= ^~=~^~=~~^~~=~~=~^~=~~^~~^~^^ John Butler - Sailing again. Praise the Lord!