Originally Posted by Schiller
The masts in Victory are built in steel, supported by the dock bottom and stayed out to the dockside. Not much chance of floating her out, then.
The lower masts are actually hollow wrought iron. They are from HMS Shah, an armored frigate, and were fitted in 1887 when she was docked to repair leaks. Following the 1922 dry docking steel supports to the mast bases were fitted to take the weight down to the dock bottom.
She'll certainly never float again as to make her sea worthy would require such extensive reconstruction that her historic contect would be lost.