Hobie 14T mast base replacement

Hi all. I bought a Hobie 14T about a month ago, and have sailed it a few times and it is awesome. Now that I am becoming a better sailer I would like to go solo. Only problem is I need 2 people to raise my mast since my current mast base is broken. The hole where the pin goes is broken off of the mast base. What I currently do is have one person at the mast base and use all of their weight to hold the mast base down in place as I lift the rest of the mast up. I have just ordered a new H14 mast base, and would like to know how I should go about replacing my current one. Do I have to seal it up with something since I do not have a mast float (baby bob)? Is there anything that I should watch out for?

Here is the part I am talking about: 10640011
http://www.hobiecat.com/support/images/ ... s/141b.jpg

Here is a pic I drew of my current mast base:
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/8611/mastbasear6.png

miller would know the best, but as i recall from the two I've replaced, i simply just drilled out the rivets (but take a lot of care here, because you dont want to widen those holes), and then knocked off the end lightly with a mallet and large screwdriver.

however, the first one i took off would not budge and even with reccomendations from jeremy of heating it up a little with a torch to melt away the glue, i ended up just taking out the trusty old hacksaw, and cutting through the entire mast base just below the seam with the mast. it was a great workout, but hopefully you dont have to do it.

And yeah I would seal it up if you can, because the 14's turtle so easily, and i do not have alot of experience, but i have learned that making sure your mast is airtight is very important.
(there should also be a foam plug about 6 to 10 inches inside though, so it shouldnt be that important to get the bottom end sealed, so long as the head is sealed.)

hope this helps

_________________
Peter Scranton
'14 Tandem Island "Awesome"
'03 Windrider Rave "Menage a Trois"