Hi Murray and Sandra, Everyone seems to do what is most comfortable for them. This is what I do when lowering the mast. I leave the downhaul shackled to the jib halyard when I remove the jib. Of course, the bitter end of the halyard is cleated. I also cleat the bitter end of the downhaul. I unpin the forestay adjuster. I leave the adjuster pinned to the forestay so I do not have to remember which hole to put it back in. The mast is now supported by the jib halyard and downhaul. I fasten the forestay to the mast with a bungee, to keep the adjuster from bouncing around the deck. I go back to the cockpit. I reach up with my right hand and brace against the mast. With my left hand I uncleat the downhaul. I let the downhaul feed from my left hand as I lower the mast with the right. I take a few small steps back on the way down. Raising is the reverse. I raise the mast, cleat the downhaul, remove the bungee from the forestay, and go forward to pin it. I take a few small steps forward on the way up. I start off with two hands for raising, but near the top all the weight is transferred to my right. I keep the downhaul in my left hand. When the mast is erect I can support it with my right hand, then take the slack out of the downhaul with my left and cleat it off. I position myself so that my arm is always centered under the mast. I am pushing straight up and not wasting my strength pushing left or right. When the mast is near horizontal I let it rest on the heel of my hand, with my thumb and fingers cupped around it. I use my big muscles, not the small ones. If you have limited arm strength think through the processes to visualize a way to use your legs. I begin the lowering process standing erect, pushing off from balls of my feet, leaning forward slightly with my arm straight and reaching as high as I can. When I complete the raising process I have come back to the same position. You may not be able to raise or lower the mast completely from one position. If not, just cleat the downhaul, then move and continue. If you use the line and halyard method, just cleat the halyard. Some people find it helps to use a taller mast crutch. You may want to read what Jerry wrote about forestay tension: http://www.msog.org/models/m15/m15_setuprig.cfm http://www.msog.org/how-to/mastrake.cfm Raising the mast is a snap once you get the hang of it. It is easy to practice in the driveway. Steve R. M-15 #119 Lexington, KY