Season's Greetings Tony,
TD> It is quite seriously corroded. I guess it is a steel plate about 10
TD> inches square and 1/4 inch thick. It has corroded around the compression
TD> post to about 1/8 inch thickness.
TD> So you wouldn't want to be out in a really big blow worried about it !
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     Sounds pretty serious, good luck with it.  When you've
finished the job, sanding and a good coating of epoxy brushed on
will help keep it from corroding any sooner than you'd want it to.
     As for the mast question from your original post - have you
decided whether you'll lower it or not?  From my perspective, it
seems so much safer to lower it.  The amount of work for either
method will likely be about the same, but you'll have much less
to worry about if the mast is on the ground.
     Cheers,
             Augustin~~~===
                              NYC, Toronto - S2STOR - S2SVCR
... Math and alcohol don't mix.  Don't drink and derive.
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