Swift 18 Owners

Puffin is now afloat in Portishead Mariner and i have spent the last couple of weeks pottering around the Mariner running her new engine in and tweaking various things etc. I am looking at venturing out into the Bristol Channel some time during the next week or so to give her a shake down but have one question regarding the mast pivot bolt, Is this bolt to be removed or left in place :?: , I only ask as i normally sail a wanderer dinghy which has a pivot pin which must be removed when sailing.

Hi Paul,
Don't take the mast pivot bolt out, Iguess in extreme circumstances the mast heel could come out of the tabernacle if you did, & then...... well I guess you don't want to find out!!! Idare'nt take my bolt out anyway, in case I can't get it back in!
Good luck with your first sail
Rob

I,too, had a Wanderer before the Swift. The difference with the Wanderer is that the pivot pin (through the tabernacle side walls) only alowed the mast to be articulated so it would lock into the foot location point, which if I remember correctly, was then held in place by another split pin. If the Swifts mast was not held by the pivot bolt there would be nothing holding the bottom of the mast at all!

Thank you both for your advice, and the bolt is to remain firmly in place.
Regards
Paul : )