[jjablonowski]

On a previous boat, I dropped the mast the first winter after I bought it, and I was glad I did! Turned out that under previous ownership someone had installed the forestay to the top of the mast using a non-stainless cotter pin.

That goof just was not visible from the deck. Unstepping the mast gave me a chance to inspect details like that and correct them before potential disaster struck.