Same way you described it in the Easter Caribbean. Freaked me out but then it didn't surprise me. Actually it did, it was more damage than I ever thought would happen.

I was hoisted up the mast with the electric Antal we had (left photo, right winch) but we never used the self tailer. I did however have the line running through a clutch in the closed position ahead of the winch. Not perfect but it worked well and I was comfortable with it. The wife (Admiral) was the only person allowed to raise me. The toe switch was on the rear of the raised salon about 5 inches up from the cockpit sole so it wasn't a foot switch but one on a vertical surface kind of like a gas pedal.

You can see the buttons in the right photo at the cockpit/deck walk through.