Ralph, I guess what I was asking was when the mast is raked back I can see a gap between the mast step and the bottom plate, putting pressure on the hinged end of the base maybe 1/4 of inch or so.Thanks again for the help

::
:: Interesting question! I believe the answer is no.
:: However, I had the same question over the possibility of
:: the mast jumping off the step if I rocked it pretty far
:: forward. (The mast butt is fastened to the step by two
:: small screws, one on either side.) I discussed the issue
:: with Buzz Ballenger, and he made me a plastic butt plug
:: about 1/2 or 3/4 inch thick which I bolted to the hinged
:: mast step plate. This plug extends upward into the mast
:: to assure that the mast will never jump off the step as
:: a result of it being rocked forward and backward. This
:: was probably overkill, because I have never heard of an
:: E27 mast jumping off the step.