Interesting ratios, Don.
It should be no longer than 60 times its minimum thickness.
A usable rule is to allow 5 feet of pole for each inch of minimum thickness.
These both come out the same, I had to actually run the numbers.
If when leaning the pole one must ensure the base is well anchored. I was adjusting a pole once, moving it from one side of the building to the other, without taking it fully down, it was snowing and the deck was a little slick, coefficient of friction pops it head up, and down the pole goes, the base slipping out from under. It was like a slow motion movie, and nothing you could do but get out of the way. It was mortice and tenoned into an 8x8 as the base and this is fastened down in numerous ways to the floor, which was undone to move the pole.
Yup, when using water levels watch out for kinks, feet standing on the hose, rocks which can pinch the hose, the bucket running out of water, and items mentioned above, etc.
Tim
