winter store-mast up or down?

[canadianseamonkey]

My boat is a 1973 and the mast has never been taken down for the winter, so the ex-owner tells me. The Surveyor never found evidence of structural damage to bulkheads or any other area. I've had her for five seasons now and haven't taken the mast down. We have extremely strong winds in the North Channel and many masts stay up.

I do like Selkirks idea best of just sailing year round.