mast crash

[M3]

Hello - We went out for a Sunday sail and while motoring out ( a bit rough) into the wind  with the sail up the mast, gaff and boom came crashing down to our huge surprise. After we collected ourselves and the sail we saw that the hinge pin was out and that the forward deck stay pin was out. The only thing i can think of is that i took a friend and her grandson (5) sailing and while we were anchored he was screwing around with the anchor line and must have pulled the hinge pin. The curved pin is attractive to inquisitive minds and hands. What surprised us is that the front stay pin didn't hold.
Of course, now i will always check these pins, i haven't in the past as i only remove that pin while putting the mast down.  Has this happened to anyone else??
  Also, since i am on Pine Island (Bokeelia) Fl i would like to watch the Nationals. I would like to join in but being that i haven't sailed on this boat much i think its not a good idea - any good land vantage points?? Where is the pre race festivities and meetings..
any help greatly appreciated.. thanks, Mary

[capt_nemo]

Mary,

Send Tom Ray, the man in charge, (also on this forum) a personal message regarding the Nationals.

capt_nemo

[cavie]

No land spectaters allowed. You must partisapate in the race. At least come out and watch by boat. We will be on the North end of Harbor near the 41 bridge.

[Tom Ray]

Aw, be nice, Butch!

Spectators are encouraged, but I would say that the level of racing we do does not require any particular skill with the boat or with racing sailboats.

Mary, please come and participate. No one really cares how well you sail or whether you are an expert racer. We just want one more Sun Cat because it's more fun that way! If you just want to come and sail around with the other boats and not even pretend to race, that's fine with us!

We have an "awards dinner" at our place after the race, and the registration is mainly so that we know how many people we will have for dinner, and the fee is not for usual regatta stuff like safety boats. We spend it all on booze and food!

As for your mast coming down, I have not heard of one doing that unassisted. I suspect curious little fingers were in places they should not have been!

[M3]

Hi All ~!!
    Thanks for your replies and encouragement to be part of the 'Nationals' - I'm in.. 
I will look on website for registration form.
My husband, Bill, & I will be on Stray Cat - Drk blue hull.. Look out for us and I mean look out for us
in all contexts

[Tom Ray]

Well, for two years in a row we have proven that dark blue hulls are actually fastest!

Glad you are coming!

[M3]

Can use all the help i can get, since never dun this before.. If color helps I'm all about it..