Mike

quote mbd, "I can't do this - I don't have a loose footed main!"

actually you can if you have slugs on the foot. my current main has slugs on about 16" center. It's worked fine for me for the last 7 yrs. the trick is to see where the bowline will want to land on the boom once the main is hoisted.

my new main will be loose footed so this will get easier...

It wouldn't work if you use a bolt rope on the foot....