Mast is rotated in line with the beam to allow a screw driver to be passed through holes in the mast foot casting and the mase base ball. This forms a hinge used while lowering/raising the mast to control the lower end of the mast. Other years of boats have had different arrangements. My '95 Marstrom tornado has no hinge at all and only a little stub of a mast base sticking out the beam.