I believe you, Mike, are speaking of the boat that I still have -- Poison Girl. I kept on using it with one pin hole broken for years and it was never an issue. I replaced it last year, but when I went to step it the pin slipped, got caught in the crossbeam slot, and popped the hole open again (lesson learned!). So I'm still sailing with one pin hole and it doesn't make a lick o' difference.