re cal 39 mast step, etc.

Yeah, welcome to the list! I've not been feeling "hospitable" lately due to back trouble, should make for an interesting sailing season... Anyway about 39's, the base of my mast is a little 'crumbly" but enough substance to not worry for a while :-) Hopefully I can sell it back to Rafael just before anything needs to be done about it! I tried drilling a small hole right near the bottom of the mast in case there was some water built up inside...nada. I suspect it may be a chemical thing of aluminum mast on stainless plate. Unless that's an aluminum plate, too? Do most of the 39-2/3's have the same deck flange welded on the mast to bolt through the deck as mine? That would certainly help keep it oriented, I would think. James Williams had a list of Cal 39 owners, likely more up to date than what I have. Try http://cal39.blogspot.com/ also http://bobwalden.com/sailing/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page Peter "Bribon" Cal 39-2