I am stepping the mast on a 1981 H16 that has the mast stepping hinge. Once the mast is stepped and before sailing, should the hinge be removed or can I leave it in place?
Thanks
Hope to be sailing soon!
Remove it. Mast can't rotate with it in.
Once you fasten the forestay, pull the pin on the hinge and let the hinge piece rotate down out of the way. Make sure you can rotate the mast after you do it. I always leave the hinge in place. Occasionally while sailing, the hinge might get in the way and get bent. It is not a problem and can be straightened pretty easily. I have been doing it on this boat for 22 years.
Howard
My bad. I read that as the pin not the hinge. hrt hit it on the head.
When I first started racing I helped step Charlie Bucherts mast and noticed he was using a small screwdriver for the pin. I tried it and have been using a phillips screwdriver ever since, works great, easy to get in and then you have a handle to pull it out with.
Thanks everyone for the replies!