Clevis pin wrong size why?

[ozmike]

Well my mast is nearly all finished and ready to stand but when I was refitting everything, the backstay Clevis pin (correct name?) is smaller than the fitting in other words it slops around, surely over time this would wear, but this was how it was and had been like that for a long time, I found no unusual wear, I do not feel right leaving it, should I drill out the masthead to take the larger pin, it just seems the right thing to do.

[James S]

Since your back stay is under tension, I cant see it "slopping" around.
If you have no signs of wear then the proof is in the pudding.
I can see where you'd want to replace it, but I'm not seeing it necessary.

[ozmike]

James, as it has been like that for a long time I guess it should be allright, but as the pin size should be 15mm but is only 12mm I just thought the movement may cause, wear and stress on fitting

[nigel1]

If it was me, I'd change it. Agree with James, but on the other hand, its going to leave a nagging doubt in the back of your mind if you leave it as it is.
Had the same thing with a forestay clevis pin on my boat, and for piece of mind I mad sure I got a snug fit.

[ozmike]

Yes Nigel, peace of mind, it has probably been like that for 10 or more years, but just does not seem right to me, as the mast is on the ground would be easier to fix, just wanted to make sure that it was not supposed to be like that. I cannot understand a rigger setting it up like that.

[osirissail]

You do not want the pin to be smaller than the hole into which it will be fit. A smaller pin will put abnormal wear and stress on the plate into which you put it. A proper sized pin will distribute the load transfer to the whole hole in the plate.
- - Additionally, everything on a boat flexes and stretches and shrinks as the boat bends and flexes underway in the ocean. Pins that are not the proper size will exert extra loads in fittings where they "slop" around.

[anjou]

Changing the 12mm pin for a 15mm will increase the overall strength by a significantly greater amount. Its always better to over engineer and have peace of mind.

[S/V Alchemy]

Agreed. If it can be made to fit, the larger pin with less opportunity to wear is the better choice.