mast hinge pin

I mostly keep my H18 with the mast up and ready to sail, but a few times a year I take the mast down so I can trailer the boat to an other lake just for some fun and diversity.

I have found (twice this year) that I started to lower the mast without having put the hinge pin in. Needless to say this could have been a disaster had I not noticed it. I use a winch and extendable forawrd mast support to raise and lower the mast.

My question is, has anyone figured out a was to remember to always have the hinge pin in place?

I keep my pin tied to the tramp and stored in the tramp pocket so it is always available for use. All Hobies use some type of pin to raise and lower the mast so I've never not put it in. I have seen folks forget to remove it and destroy the crossbar as well. Sounds like a learning curve to me, at least you remembered before the mast came crashing down.

For me the fear of eating the mast or it hitting someone/something when it slips off of the mast step is what reminds me to ALWAYS put it in.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO