Hi All

This is not the norm, but its how I did it mostly. My rotation arm was a single stainless tube that went through the aft surface of the mast through to the inside forward face of the mast, I welded a nut into the end of the tube and had a metal thread to hold in position.

I would raise my mast from the front, as Gary said attach the forestays loosely, I would begin lifting the mast, when I couldn't go any further before it was going to kick up, I lift the mast so the rotation arm sat on the striker strap, and raised the mast vertical, then lift the whole mast vertical and sit it in the mast step, the mast would sit there by itself while I attached the sidestays and then tightened the forestays. I never ever damaged or marked the mast, beam or anything else doing it this way, by being careful.

It may sound less than perfect, but it worked for me and nine times out of ten, I had my mast up first and without any help.

Regards