The mast is deck stepped, and in the base of the mast about 6 inches off the deck is an access plate that is about 4 inches by 5 inches. Inside of this access plate are all my cables, with just enough service loop to bring the cable out and disconnect it or trouble shoot it.

Now I have not checked a whole lot of other boats, but seems to me that quite a few of them just have cables running out of the deck and then into the mast. I have to wonder why the access plate idea was abandoned.