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If you're going to drop the mast today, then back up to a week ago and prepare the boat. You're probably going to need to soak the bolts and turnbuckles with a penetrating lubricant such as Boeshield T-9 or PB-Blaster, especially if the rig hasn't been down for awhile.
The bolts at the base of the mast are stainless bolts screwed into an aluminum plate. Water gets in there, the aluminum forms aluminum oxide (the white powder) and this jams the bolts in tight. You'll need to use some shock force. (Get a bigger hammer!) Carefully work the bolts back and forth. Be careful; it's easy to wring the heads off. One at a time, remove the bolts that you don't break, spray some lubricant into the threaded holes and reinstall the bolts. You want them to come out easily when you are ready. Also, write yourself a reminder to coat the threads with silicone caulk before reinstalling them. This will provide an electrical isolation between the stainless and aluminum, preventing the galvanic corrosion. It will also keep out the water. Disconnect all the wiring to the mast. Also loosen all of the turnbuckles on the shrouds and remove the boom.
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