Ok. This is how I step my mast solo on the trailer. Let's see if I can remember all these steps, sorry for the details, I hope it doesn't sound more complex than it really is.

1. The first thing I always do is tighten my drain plugs and put a mast chip in as soon as I park the truck. That is always first.

2. I leave the boat on the trailer with the tow straps on and the trailer still attached to the truck, and undo all of my bungees.

3. I set up the tripod mentioned earler behind the boat.

4. I slide the mast down the support until I can manage it and postion the base on the tramp and hand walk to the top of the mast where I position it on the tripod. This makes attaching the step pin really easy.

5. Attach the pin.

6. Attach trap wires, I don't trailer with them on. I feel it's easier to just undo the shackle, coil them, and stick them back in the box.

7. A make sure the shrouds are attached at the top of the chin pate, If I didn't go ahead and do that the last time I trailered the boat. I adjust them just after the mast is steped.

8. Then, and this is something I'll change after reading the posts on this topic. I attach a line to the forestay with shackle fasten into the forestay loop. I think attaching it to the jib halyard makes waaaay more sense, thanks.

9. Run the line to a pully fastened to the mast support on the trailer.

10. Run that line through a jib cam cleat.

11. Make sure all the wires, (trap and shrouds) are in order and laying on the tramp with all the slack pulled near the tramp to reduce the chance they will hang on the rudders. It sucks to get the mast half way up by yourself and then have to put it back down because a wire gets tangled.

12. Get on the tramp and take in as much of the "raising line" slack as possible and then stick it in the pocket for quick access.

13. Then I just grap the mast from the back of the tramp and raise it.

14. I put my weight into the mast and cleat the raising line off. I usually tie the excess of to a hiking strap with a simple knot as a fail safe.

15. Get off the boat and attach the forestay.

16. Remove the raising line by undoing the shackle attached to the forestay loop, and remove the stepping link pin.

17. Then to adjust the shrouds, and this is a trick I picked off of the Hobie forums, I put on my harness and hook into the trappeze standing to the side of the boat and use my weight to keep the mast up while I adjust the shroud.

18. Repeat. Hoist the sails. Hook up the sheeting equip and tiller stick and shove off. This process really doesn't take all that long after it's been done a few times. I think a lot of it boils down to finding a routine and keeping to it, as well as trailering the boat with that routine in mind.