I've read a large number of comptip threads and I'm still on the fence about what to do. I recently bought a 2007 Getaway that I'm getting back in shape, mainly by replacing standing rigging and the main tramp. The comptip has some fiberglass showing near the masthead but I know from reading that this is mostly cosmetic and plan to paint it. I am more concerned about the join between comptip and alum mast. Hopefully the picture link below works. Basically compression is driving the comptip further into the mast. In the pic you can see where outer layer of comptip is flaking off. Further investigation (me chipping away at it) suggests that this is just the outer paint layer, the fiberglass inside the alum base seems unaffected. The comptip appears to be firmly embedded in the base - no shifting or movement, although I haven't put a lot of force on it.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4pozon9Fkjh6TSJz9I see four options:
1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seems to apply in so many situations. Don't take a working mast and turn it into a non-working one by a misguided attempt to separate the two parts.
2. I've got a can of West System in the garage. Don't separate the two parts, but clean out the chips, add some filler to the epoxy, and fair it in. Paint.
3. Do option 2, but go further and cover join with some fiberglass cloth. I realize that this would make future comptip replacement difficult to impossible, but considering that comptips aren't being made, and even if they were the price is >25% of what I paid for the boat, if it ever failed I would probably be looking for an H16 mast to replace it. BTW, the Getaway rental concession here in Miami does this to all their masts.
4. Separate the two parts of the mast, and reattach using Bondo as advised in most threads on comptips on this forum.
What would you do?