I rebedded our chainplates on our old 32-2 with the mast up without a problem. The mast should pretty much stay up on its own with the lowers (fwd & aft) alone... its a really stout mast. I slackened the mids & uppers on the side I wasn't working on, and tied a halyard near the rail on the side I was working on. We were in a moderately sheltered marina with just the occasional power boat or barge wake.