Re: Unstepping Mast on CAL 2-34 [1 Attachment]

Thank you - thank you all - I should have mentioned that I have unstepped and stepped masts a few times (add to that that my previous boat was a ketch, so I had the additional pleasure of having to go up the mizzen to disconnect the triatic stay) - both wooden masts each sat on deck in a stainless boot, however, with all wiring exiting about 1ft above the boot, so I could disconnect it all before lifting them out of these boots with the yard's gin-pole and then focus on taking each down quickly and safely. That said, being part of a club with hundreds of boats I have often helped others with their aluminum masts and have at time been been surprised by the horrible jumble of wiring (and sometimes huge bees nests) that can be hidden inside the bottom portion of a deck stepped mast... I am preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. One other thing I forgot to mention is that our yard and the gin pole sits on a bulkhead on the edge of an active waterway (Athur Kil) so occasionally we have to fight wakes from passing boats making the boat ride up and down a few feet while the mast is dangling - having this occur wile one is trying to figure out freshly exposed wiring and swapping confused buzzing bees it not pretty - even if there are no fingers under there. I really appreciate the suggestion of a block of wood! Interesting no-one has thought of that here and I will make sure I have something I can set the foot of the mast on while inspecting what is in and under there. Keeping my fingers crossed (and out from under that mast) for quick connectors. Thanks y'all