Looking to purchase new mast

[airsealand]

I am looking into purchasing a new mast for a cruising boat... and trying to make decision whether to go with an anodized or a painted LPN mast...? To go with a straight or tapered mast....? Some say that the taper reduces weight topside and may have a little less windage improving sailing and the righting moment... Also one mast that I am looking at has an enclosed head box while the other a Selden mast has an open head box....... The closed head box, I believe would protect the halyards, etc., but may be a little more difficult to change halyard sheaves in the future.... The open head box from Sheldon makes replacing halyard sheaves easier, but having an open head box would expose the halyards, etc. to the elements and possible faster deterioration of halyards and foreign matter getting the mast head..... Shelden has an elevated pad that mounts on the mast head to mount electronics which may help protect
the head a little; however, it is open on all sides.. Any insight from anyone would be gratefully appreciated...

[SimonV]

Cruising boat straight mast. Paint or anodized, boxed or unboxed it comes down to what you want to pay; andized will stay pretty longer then may need a paint. weight aloft for a cruising boat is a bit of a misnomer as the weight aloft is what keeps the boat at anchor bearable in a swell. (just think of a metronome.)