Embarrassed to ask

Newbie here,

Bit embarrassed to ask this but .....

I have a 1991 Searay 180 Bowrider Ski boat. I have a 3 leg ski arch (well it's not actually an arch as it forms a triangle). Two legs anchor on two pads on the aft deck with quick pins and the smaller more vertical pole goes into a socket fitting on the aft rail. There is a spring in there and a small bar inside the socket tube. So the vertical piece slides in, turns, springs up, stops and you put a quick pin in so it can't go down and presumably turn and come out. So I do all this to take some pix and I go to remove the whole apparatus and at this point in time there is no way I can seem to get that ^%$#@ pole out of the socket. I am at my wits end. It will push down against the spring and it will turn counter clockwise (to what I assume is the position that will release it) but it will not come out. AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I have tried everything I can think of plus all my swear vocabulary and this thing refuses to come out. It was originally made my Dog Rail Industries in Houston but I can't find them? Sorry if this is a dumb question but does anyone have any suggestions (other than a crow bar)?

Post pix. If it is what I am picturing in my brain, the pole cannot be removed from above and the entire assemble comes out as one unit, pole and all.

This is on an outboard boat, Right? Un-clip the two rear poles and swing them straight up in the air, Then push down on the ski pole and turn it 45% to the right, or maybe to the left. I can't remember. But you should be able to remove it then.

Thanks JimmyZ ... and that's exactly the way I think it "should" come out (CCW turn btw) but it does not. Something is not releasing inside so I believe I need to take the housing out. I have removed the two rear poles. Really frustrating.