Mast lowering

[ED]

When in Florida this winter, I saw a Mac 26 which had a pipe strut at the base of the mast extending forward about 5 feet which is used to change the angle of the line used to raise or lower the mast to get under low bridges. I'm going to make a similar set-up for a 23' boat that I use in FL when my hunter 34 is under snow in winter. Does anyone know the diameter of the strut? Does the system work well?

 

[Mel B E]

I found a website, that has some pictures of the mast raising/lowering. You might give it a look. I'm a new Mac26x owner, and while researching the systems happened on the page. I've used it a couple times. Our Mac26X pole is 6 feet long and the dia. is 1 1/2 inches. The 26x pole's bottom bracket lines up with a set of holes in the front of the mast step and not on the mast as shown on the website. See my question posted early about mast raising.