Not a bad idea, drill small hole that can be filled with silicone as a "plug". You want to go over the mast and fill every rivit with silicone sealant, check the mast base and the mast head. Try to achieve a sealed unit that can float, using the small hole you drilled pump air into mast and use soapy water to check for leaks, seal all leaks then if near a large body of water just immerse mast and check to see if it floats. A sealed mast will stop the H16 from turning turtle, imagine a H16 upside down with the mast filled with water & pointing at the bottom of the lake. Now imagine trying to right you cat.