Rick, I have tried many ways and set-up a number of rigs for customers - but in the case of a M-17 - I found the best/easiest/safest way to go for me is an adjustable transom mounted mast carrier. The support can be extended to a level you are comfortable with when lowering the mast while standing on the top of the house and lowering it by easing it down to the mast carrier support in the extended position. Relying on additional side stays and support becomes time consuming and sometimes fails when you need it most! If you can supprt the mast by easing it back to a TALL support at the transom while standing in the area on top of the cabin house - there is little room for 'disaster' IF "WE" are strong enuf and up to the task (I am sliding down the age ladder myself and strength is waning a bit). I use a mast carrier that adjusts from 2'-10" above the upper gudgeon to 4'-8" in the extended position - two pieces of 3/16 line tied from top of mast support to mooring cleats each side when extended to support the upper end of support when extended. I 'guide' the mast down to the roller mounted on top of the support while standing on top of the cabin house. The weight of the rig is not too much at this stage - the headsail halyard could be used to assist the lowering - attach it to the forestay chainplate and ease as you lower the mast. If you would like I can send photos of the mast support - nothing special, can be built at home maybe a bit of welding helps. Never have had good luck with gin poles - a-frames and cranes- they seem to add complexity to my already short time for sailing - BUT if you need 'em - build the best you can afford/design/construct! Good Luck Be Safe Don't hurt Yourself. Go Sailing GO In a message dated 5/21/2014 2:03:53 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, jdavies104@gmail.com writes: Hi all, I'm trying to figure out a simple (meaning without a gin pole) way to lower the mast on my M17 single-handed without having to walk it down the hard way in the cockpit. I thought of attaching one end of the main sheet to the front mast support on the trailer and the other end to the jib halyard. I think someone on the forum described something like this quite a while ago, but I can't find it. I plan on using a line tied around the mast as high as I can reach and secured to the chainplates on each side for lateral support. I'd plan to lower the mast until I can reach it easily from the cockpit, then lower it the rest of the way by hand, so the tension in the support line doesn't get too big as the mast approaches horizontal. Has anyone tried anything like this? Hate it find out it doesn't work the hard way. Thanks, Rick M17 #633 Lynne L