[Robbie.g]

I totally agree having a pool of water trapped in mast is probably not all that good.
I should have been clearer... The internal seal is normally fitted at the lowest halyard exit, so any water pours out the exit onto the deck.
As for water inside the boat, seem there are few newer boats built with a bilge as our grandfathers would know, where water in a boat was par-for-the-course; many of the evermore popular cruiser-racers boats have very shallow bilges (well space below the floorboards) that with the slightest amount of water and heel, anyone below gets wet feet, or the carpet gets wet!
Also i guess that there are more owners who don't nip out to 'check' on the boat periodically, they just want to turn up, having left the boat for a time and sail away.
Maybe it's a sign of the times or the way things are heading.
I was hoping that someone may have a 'magic bullet' product for the sealing, any hands up?