I've never heard of a mast coming out from being towed

Harry Krause wrote:
I've seen it happen. On a Pearson, maybe 15 years ago, while being towed
into St. Augustine Inlet. I have no idea of the cirumstances, because I
was anchored there, fishing. But the mast gave way.

OK, now I've heard of it

I bet the skipper was really pleased, too... first whatever problem led
to being towed in the first place, then suddenly CRASH! And problems
usually come in groups of three...

It can happen, sure. But if the mast step, which has to support a LOT of
force just under normal sailing loads, is not strong enough, then what
are the bow cleats going to be like?

BTW another reason to not use the bow cleats is that they are usually
seriously undersized for the kind of rope almost any tow boat is going
to pass over. That USCG boat which towed us in (back when dinosaurs
roamed the Earth) tossed over a 3/8" line... a messenger for the actual
tow line, which looked to be about a foot around but was probably in the
neighborhood of 1 1/2"!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King