November 10, 2014. This started with an email from Kerry Lugo on November 4, 2014 - excerpt below. Click here to go to Root Beer Float's page

By the way, for the 35 years that I have been sailing the Root Beer Float, I have always dropped the mast forward.  When I was younger, I was able to lift the mast myself with my son tugging on the back-stay.  Last night I was reading a book that describes using the whisker pole attached to the jib halyard until the whisker pole is level and then attaching the mainsail sheet to the whisker pole at one end and the bow at the other end (where you normally clip on the tack of the jib).  According the book, one person alone can then safely raise and lower the mast.  What is the method most Dolphin owners you talk to use to raise and lower the mast?

Thanks,
-Kerry

Your webmaster replied: "Raising and lowering a Dolphin Mast - we have a a lot of stuff on this in the Technical Section - personally, this Dolphin owner is chicken" - click this link to go to that page http://dolphin24.org/mast_stepping_resource.html

Kerry responded - email excerpted/edited

..... I no longer want to attempt to pickup the mast by myself while someone else tugs on the backstay to get it raised and lowered.  After some investigation on the Internet, the method I found most interesting was Brian Smith’s Mast Raising and Lowering found at:  http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/tech/tech25/bsmast.asp

I also found another comment that I think added to Brian’s method, at: 
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/pop_printer_friendly.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=21533

"Reply author: Even Chance
Replied on: 05/14/2010 20:58:36
Message:
It usually falls on deaf ears (or blind eyes), but Brian Smith's Tech Tip (found here) for lowering the mast forward is, IMHO, much easier than using a-frames, crutches, or additional gin poles. It works -- I've used it many times. My one modification would be to run the Morley's lines through the genoa cars moved even with the mast, and then back to the primary winches for control. I have raised and lowered a TR mast single-handed using this system.
.

A caveat is that when the mast is down, its weight is forward of the pulpit. Sit on the mast at the tabernacle when you unbolt it!" Yesterday I tried Brian's method on the Root Beer Float.  I asked my neighbor if he wanted to go along to help but since he was already scheduled to play golf, I went it alone, single-handed. It was an interesting experience and for purposes of liability, I DO NOT RECOMMEND this or any other method of raising or lowering a mast.  I am simply reporting about my own experience which was fun and entertaining.

Brian Smith’s recommendation is to perform the task with two people.  One person to work the Main Sheet and the other person to keep the boom from “wandering” sideways.  I was able to do it alone by walking forward with the Main Sheet in hand and operating it forward of the mast tabernacle.  My biggest worry aside from the whole apparatus crashing down was the mast moving too far laterally.  I had visions of the mast mounting snapping off the deck!

CLICK THIS LINK TO GO TO THE PHOTOS, There are too many to email: http://www.kerrylugo.net/mast/

I recommend that you click on the thumbnails and then read my comments in the captions below each large photo.

Best regards, Kerry Lugo, DFI

This is one of the 17 photos on the link above