Rigging Quote

[jaysweet]

I have a 2004 Hunter 306 that has never had the mast down or a rigging inspection. So we’re talking 20 years in salt water, although on land every winter. I want to have the mast unstepped, have the rigging replaced, plus all the wiring (for masthead lights, VHF, and wind instrument). Probably the sheaves as well. Although I could have our yard do the stepping and unstepping, I have a few reasons for perhaps not going that way:

1) I’ve never done this, and don’t necessarily trust the yard to know what they’re doing either.
2) There is no rigging shop particularly nearby, so it would cost more to have them travel here.
3) I do virtually 100% of the work on the boat myself, but perhaps this is a place where I feel ok to draw the
line and treat myself to a professional job. Money’s not all that tight at the moment.

Anyway, I just got a quote from a rigging shop in Annapolis. This is for me taking the boat down there, having them unstep the mast, replace all the rigging, replace the wiring, tune the rig, and step the mast in the spring. Note that this is a B&R rig, which I’ve heard that some rigging shops avoid. The quote was for $6633 including tax, which seems reasonable to me given what I’ve read.

A few things I need to clear up:

a) will they charge for mast storage? (I’m pretty sure not.)
b) If I supply new wiring for a wind sensor, will they run that, or charge extra?
c) Will they put disconnects on all the wiring at the mast base? I’m 90% sure that the existing wiring doesn’t have these, but I should probably find out ahead of time. There’s a wooden panel around the top of the compression post that I imagine hides where the wiring comes in, but I’ve never had it off.

Any comments on the plan or the price are welcome!

Thanks,
Jay

 

[dlochner]

a) will they charge for mast storage? (I’m pretty sure not.)

The rigging company may not charge for mast storage over the winter, the yard may well charge for storage

b) If I supply new wiring for a wind sensor, will they run that, or charge extra?

They will charge either specifically in an itemized bill or by the hour.

c) Will they put disconnects on all the wiring at the mast base? I’m 90% sure that the existing wiring doesn’t have these, but I should probably find out ahead of time. There’s a wooden panel around the top of the compression post that I imagine hides where the wiring comes in, but I’ve never had it off.

Depends on what you specify. Best to ask the rigging company

Does the estimate include the crane fee?
Does the estimate include dockage at the yard while the mast is being pulled and the time before and after?

Which yard will you be going to? When I was hauled at Jabins earlier this year they charged me for a 38' boat because the anchor and pulpit extended about 2 feet past the bow.

Get a very detailed estimate of what is included in the job.

 

[jaysweet]

a) will they charge for mast storage? (I’m pretty sure not.)

The rigging company may not charge for mast storage over the winter, the yard may well charge for storage

Yep: I'll ask about that.

b) If I supply new wiring for a wind sensor, will they run that, or charge extra?

They will charge either specifically in an itemized bill or by the hour.

Ditto.

c) Will they put disconnects on all the wiring at the mast base? I’m 90% sure that the existing wiring doesn’t have these, but I should probably find out ahead of time. There’s a wooden panel around the top of the compression post that I imagine hides where the wiring comes in, but I’ve never had it off.

Depends on what you specify. Best to ask the rigging company

Right. I'm just trying to think of all the things that I need to specify. Because it's just labelled "Estimate", I also need to check if the labor is fixed, or as used.

Does the estimate include the crane fee?
Does the estimate include dockage at the yard while the mast is being pulled and the time before and after?

Which yard will you be going to? When I was hauled at Jabins earlier this year they charged me for a 38' boat because the anchor and pulpit extended about 2 feet past the bow.

It is, in fact, Jabins. I hadn't originally read the estimate correctly, but it says "crane and dockage fees charged by the yard".

Get a very detailed estimate of what is included in the job.

It's pretty detailed, but of course I still have question to ask.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[marcham]

Generally, most shops / trades prefer not to install customer supplied parts, as if something doesn't work, it gets complicated to resolve. They have access to all the wiring they need for the mast, including the transducer wiring.

Are you replacing your VHF antenna and mast head light fixture at the same time? Now's you're chance....

For the region, the price doesn't seem completely out of whack, but we'd need to see the detailed quote first. Normally yes, there would be disconnects at the base of the mast, no one want to crimp / heat shrink each time the mast comes off.

This is also a good chance to inspect and rebed any deck hardware that the shrouds attach to..... deck hardware bedding typically starts leaking at the 20-25 year mark.

Get them to run a messenger line as well just in case you need to pull a wire in the future. I will sometimes bundle all the electrical wires together, but the coax and masthead instrument wires I keep separate, so a new one can be pulled through.

There might be sheaves and other hardware that they will identify for replacement, so be ready for a final price 10-20% higher.

Do you leave the boat there while they work on it or take it back home?

 

[jssailem]

The price sounds pretty good if you are talking complete re rig. In 2017 I hade a complete refit. New wire rigging, swaged top and Hi Mod bases. All fittings replaced, sheaves replaced,VHF antenna replaced ( I supplied cable). Then there was the running of all halyards in the mast. New mast head tri-light and anchor light, replaced steaming light/fore deck light, new electrical wires. Refit of boom and rigging. Replace rigging for reef lines and internal outhaul. Three mast halyard winches, two self tailing. Final tally was 11K$.

I saw a job done in Canada, just replaced shrouds on a Catalina 36 that ran $4800 us.

you job sounds like a fair price. Just be sure you specify the expected work to be performed.

 

[shemandr]

The boatyard will charge for the unstepping and re-stepping the mast and the usual stowage of the boat, power wash, stands etc.
The rigging company will charge for what they do and that is the $ 6,633. The work order you submit should specify disconnects for the wiring. Based on my 356 there is a busbar under that wooded panel. If not, there will be additional work to install one and I highly recommend that you do so. Your work order should also specify replacing the instrument wires so that there's no confusion or disappointment. You might want to also specify the running rigging , and terminals sources although that is tricky. Because a shop will want to use a brand they are used to. Still it would be good to know what you are getting.
I'm assuming that the work will be done in the yard since transferring the mast is expensive. Normally the yard bills the customer when outside contractors come in to do work and normally they mark the invoice up 10% or so. It sounds like the rigging company has given you a direct price. You need to nail down the details of their relationship to the yard. When I had my Ranger mast down the yard left the mast on saw horses while I worked on it outside. They didn't charge for that as a curtesy. They did get $4.50 a foot for the mast removal and another $4.50 a foot for the re-stepping. It was based on the mast length not the boat length. If that yard charged for stowage of the mast it would be wrapped and placed on racks inside and was allegedly inspected.