Single handed Buccaneer mast raising question/problem

[tidal9]

Ok, for starters I apologize for my ignorance here, I'm a newbie. I just purchased a mid 70's, 18 ft chrysler buccaneer this weekend and it's my first "real" boat. I'm trying to figure out how to step the mast single handedly and am having trouble. The mast is 24 feet long and has a recessed square notch at the bottom. I see how it fits into the receiving recepticle which is a raised square nut in the cockpit. A wooden "yoke" creates a pocket that the mast rests in about a foot and a half up or so. The problem is, the mast is pretty clumsy and heavy to fit into this pocket. I secured the two cables that secure the mast to the sides of the hull on either side but the front cable goes through a roller jib and needs to be secured under the berth. How can I keep the mast from falling backward while I secure it? The cable that secures the front line has an eyehole that fits into a metal bracket similiar to the ones that secure the other two lines, except that instead of quick pin releases, the previous owner replaced it with a bolt and nut. This is somewhat tedious when I fear the mast will come crashing down while I mess with it under the berth. Also, I'm not sure how these pin systems allow you to add small amounts of tension without having to disconnect the whole cable. I have a 13ft Kolibri that uses turnbuckles so the tension can be adjusted in minute amounts. I was also thinking that whoever designed the "yoke" that wraps around the mast, could have made a gate of some sort that swings down and locks to hold the mast verticle while the lines are being secured, does anyone make something like this? Maybe a hinged mast? Please help!

[EmergencyExit]

You might also check in at:

http://www.buccaneer18.org


was also going to send you by:

http://chryslersailing.lizards.net/

but I didn't see a manual for the C18 on the site - there is one for the Mutineer there, tho.