Quick pins - do you use them

Use them where it makes rigging easier without causing problems or endangering your rig.

Don't use them to hold up the mast or in places where they can be snagged or carry a lot of load. They are hollow and the only thing holding them in place is a tiny bump. That means the hole needs to have pretty close tolerance to work correctly.

When I had a H16, I used it for main blocks to traveller and boom to mast connection. I also used for the forestay since once the jib was up the load was on the jib. I would not use for rigging holding up the mast.

I don't use them. Years ago I used one on my tiller to tiller crossbar connection but, salt water destroys them. I do use a snap shackle on my upper main sheet blocks.

On the flip, we used them quite regularly where I sail. We trailer in every Tuesday night so setup is time sensitive and at least 5 of us use them on the fore-stay. I haven't bent one yet. Don't sail in salt water though, I can see the concern there.

cezo823 wrote: I haven't bent one yet. Don't sail in salt water though, I can see the concern there.

It's not the bending. It's that the ball gets stuck in the in position and there is nothing holding the pin from sliding out.

I'm with nacra55 on this one. The internal clearances for these to work as intended and safely are relatively very tight. The least little bit of dirt, debris etc. that gets inside (and it will) can prevent the internal slider from locking the ball in the out/locked position, OOPS!!!!

I used to use several on my Hobies 16's. One place was the hiking stick to tiller crossbar connection. The button end was pointed astern. Upon completing a jib in heavy air, the mainsheet got snagged around the button, OPPS!!!!

I don't use them anymore, anywhere.

Think about what you are going to use them for. If that fail will the mast stay up, will you be able to sail to shore. Jib tack, OK, forestay, no. Always get the type with the bail that you can tie a keeper line to so you do not lose the rather expensive pin.

I have seen many sailors trying to break free a frozen quick pin (with a hammer, or other item) because they have seized up while in the hiking stick - now that hiking stick is un-usable until they get to a hacksaw and drill to remove the quick pin

I have had a quick pin worm a hole into my brass tack plate (hobie18) and come free (main came off the boom) at the WORST possible time (just infront of a low bridge, heavy air, trying to tack)

I currently only use 1 quick pin anywhere on my 3 catamarans. I have 1 on my boom/gooseneck
it is not the kind that has a button/bearing... it has a small swivel on the nose of it that is almost impossible to come lose on its own and wont seize (i think/hope)

I know I'm in the minority on this issue and understand the construction of the pins and why to think twice about using them but I've been using quick pins everywhere for thirty years and never had one fail. Both shrouds, forestay, hiking stick as well as upper and lower connection of the main blocks to the boom and traveler.
I have experienced what mn3 mentions when the pin left with the hiking stick will seize in place but have always been able to free it up and never had a pin fail. Sure they won't last forever and like any part of the boat and rigging, inspection, maintenance and replacement is key.
The only place I use a clevis pin and ring ding is in the shroud extenders to aid in righting the boat as I sail solo 90% of the time.

It's not the bending. It's that the ball gets stuck in the in position and there is nothing holding the pin from sliding out.

I just bought a ton of quick pins for our fleet last month, mainly beacuse all my guys continued dropping the clevis pins/ring dings in the sand...never to be found again. The only place I am using them is the main block to traveler connection, and I have gone through 4 already. They all got stuck just like nacra55 said. In fact one was stuck when the boat was rigged the other morning and we had a main block fly off and almost hit one of their guests. I think when I run out of the ones I purchased last month I will be going back the clevis pins. They are cheaper anyway.

I used these on my Hobie in Charleston 20 years ago. I do not recall any problems with seizing, but it is possible my father recalls (he was the one paying for them).

I plan to use them on the jib, tiller, and main blocks. The standing rigging will be clevis pins with tight ring dings. I am mostly in fresh water, so will hope for the best.

The seizing issue brings up a good point. These quick pins are not cheap, but they are less robust than a clevis pin. Which means we are paying a good premium for convenience.

Thanks for the comments.

I use one when I am launching from a dock. It holds the clew of the mainsail to the traveler at the aft end of the boom. I use this to quickly and completely depower the main when docking. Just loosening the downhaul does not get the job done on an old pintail main. So when we dock on the leeward side, the crew loosens the downhaul and the skipper loosens the sheet and removes the pin.
Instant de-powering.
I have had this quickpin three decades without a failure.
I wash the salt water out of it after sailing.
It is a SS shackle with a 1/4" M style pin with the cup at the button end, and there is a SS wire attached between the two that keeps me from losing it in the water.
So when I pull the pin I just let go of it.

Interesting feedback on this. A lot of you see salt water conditions, I'd definitely be more cautious there because it's a pretty safe bet that the inside springs are coated music wire and not stainless.
Definitely a piece of equipment to keep a eye on if you do use.

I sail a Supercat 20 off a trailer and need to rig and de-rig every time. I have quick pins everywhere on the boat, 2 at the bridle to chain plates, one on the forestay to bridle, 4 at the hyfield levers, 2 on the rudders, one on the tiller extenson, one on the main block to boom, one at the gooseneck, one on the main sail to boom connection, one on the jib sail tack. (that's 14 if you were counting)

4 years, 120+ trips, ALWAYS in salt water, NEVER had a failure, NEVER had one fail to operate properly and easily, one drop of sewing machine oil in the end of the pin about every 8-10 sailings and they will last a lifetime.

one drop of sewing machine oil in the end of the pin about every 8-10 sailings and they will last a lifetime.

i am sure that makes a world of difference.