I need a bit of insight please; I am in the process of starting some work which I should have started a few months ago...

One of the first items on the list is to have the mast base of my commander replaced. The current base is made from a wooden laminate which has performed nicely, but it is weathered and it is starting to delaminate at the edges. Since I have the mast off now, this would be a good time to replace this.

The manual recommends having an aluminum version machined, but hardwood would look the best... I have seen Phenolic plastic also (on A-100)

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...ighlight=burke (POST #27)

Would the aluminum be too hard? (unyielding?) The base sits on top of the deck which has holes for the screws and the wiring conduit; I magine that there is a bit of deck that gets sandwiched between the mast base and the top plate on the compression post?

I also like the plate that Ebb and Ed have incorporated into their mast bases... The hinge adds quite a bit of simplicity to the process of unstepping the mast... (no crane!)

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...p?t=249&page=5 (POST # 67)

I'd be grateful for any recommendadions...