I don't disagree with any of the above advice. However, I gave up doing it by hand years ago. It's much easier with a jib crane or a gin pole as follows: 1. Tie the boat up next to the crane or hoist. 2. Remove upper, intermediate and in-line shrouds and secure them to the mast with a shock cord or rope. 3. Fasten spinnaker halyard or spinnaker halyard to stem of boat. 4. Remove forestay and fasten to mast along with other shrouds, except for aft lowers which remain attached. 5. Make a loop in a 10-foot piece of line outside all of the shrouds so that when you attach the crane hook to it it will go up to the lower spreaders. 6. Attach the crane hook to the line and hoist it up until it's snug against the lower spreaders. 7. Remove the hinge pin. 8. Unfasten any electrical lines halyards, etc, that are attached to the mast and deck. . 9. With one man on the deck and the other at the controls of the crane, raise the mast enough so that the butt can pivot forward. 10. Slowly lower the mast and move the butt forward until it rests on the bow pulpit and the top end rests on the stern pulpit. 11. Tie the mast to the pulpits. 12. Fish your back stay out of the water. 13. Remove your windex. 14. The backstay and aft lowers remain attached until you are ready to re-step the mast. 14, Check your trailer support pads to make sure they are tight and your tire pressure also.

It's easy to step or unstep your mast with two people using a jib crane or gin pole.