If your mast base can be pinned to the ball (Hobie 20), NEVER leave the long pin in. I did this once in a large regatta with a novice crew: A curl pin was pulled off by the beach wheels when launching, the shroud pin was lost, and the rig came down during our first tack in the middle of Lake Monroe. The crew did not move from the lee side despite my urging, as the mast slowly settled onto him, pinning him between the deck and the mast. This could have been VERY bad, as I couldn't do anything to get it off him. Fortunately for both of us, he could still breathe ok, as the still-pinned mast was angled down over the other shroud base. A regatta chase boat came over within a long few minutes to lift the mast tip so I could pull the fellow out unhurt but displeased. I expect that he has never been near a sailboat since.