replacing tabernacle pin

[RyanN]

Any materials engineers out there?

I'm considering replacing my tabernacle pin. The old pin was 3/4" stainless rod sleeved to 1.3" with aluminum inside the mast and with a 1.25" bushing at the tabernacle.
Unfortunately, the pin froze inside the sleeve and since a 1.3" sleeve won't fit through a 1.25" hole, removal was a nightmare.

For a new pin I'd like to use a piece of 6061 extruded rod machined to 1.3". The tabernacle hole would be enlarged from 1.25 to 1.3"
There are higher strength alloys, but I'm not sure they will be suitable in a marine environment.

Some specs:
The mast is about 50' high
The vertical loads on the mast should be transfered to a wedge block under the mast and not to the pin.
The mast wall thickness is 1/2" and the holes is 1.3"
the tabernacle is made of 3/16 stainless and the hole is 1.25"
The gap between the tabernacle and mast is minimal.

Another possibility is a piece of 1.25" titanium rod (about $100) in an aluminum sleeve. The titanium shouldn't react with the aluminum.