Looking for a rigging service in or near San Pedro CA

[marke14]

Greetings SBO friends,

If anyone has any recommendations for a rigging company to re-rig my wire rope standing rigging on my 25' fiberglass sloop, please let me know either here or in a direct message privately. Our boat is slipped year-round in San Pedro, California (Cabrillo Marina).

We're looking for a provider who is in, or can travel to, either San Pedro or Long Beach (I can take the boat down). We do not own a trailer for the boat. I'm trying to avoid having to sail up to either Redondo or Marina Del Ray.

Please - any referrals are greatly appreciated.

 

[marke14]

For anyone who may be interested, here's the story. A couple of you here (thank you both!) referred me to others previously; both of those folks are mentioned anonymously below.

I've had a hell of a time hiring a rigging company to re-rig my standing rigging. The stories are many but here are a few excerpts:

* one gentleman who I was referred to by a longtime customer strung me along for so many months that he literally died before he got around to scheduling the work (or even committing to a general time/month). This is after months of awkward exchanges by both phone and email. Naturally I feel for this man's family, not to leave that bit out.

* another gentleman who earlier replaced our lifelines and installed my new headsail furling unit declined to re-rig my boat back then. He told me that my thirty year old (my estimate) rigging "looks like it probably has a few more years left in it" - this is just before I told him that I'd prefer to have it done regardless. I later learned through a mutual contact that he declined because the "ROI" on his time investment was not "worth it" on a small (25') boat relative to other projects.

* more recently, another owner of another famous local institution simply fell silent and ceased returning my calls. This is after we had a great initial conversation, talked about sailing and the local scene, and he agreed to take the job after visiting my boat in person on his own. I've left three unreturned voicemails plus a couple of text messages. I get it, he doesn't want my business.

In case anyone is wondering, I am an easygoing customer. Without knowing me personally "in real life" I guess you'll just have to take my word for it.

I would gladly help out or participate in the refitting, I'm a well organized person and I can handle coordination of booking transient slips, arranging shipyard work to pull the mast, etc. - all things I would expect a professional service to handle, but what the heck I can do whatever is required.

Please, can anyone help me get this boat re-rigged?

 

[Dave Groshong]

If the rig is down, you can coil it all up and send it us to be duplicated!

 

[marke14]

Thanks Dave, I know that is a possibility. I have a local provider that can do this if it comes to that. I'm ideally looking for help with the whole process end to end.

I've never taken the mast down or what have you - this is our first boat. Ideally I would like to replace the chainplates as well; the last guy I was talking with said that he could do that no problem - as did the other company where the guy passed away.

I guess what I'm saying is I'm willing to pay the premium to have it done for me. I've never even gotten to the point of receiving a written quote yet.

 

[jssailem]

Marke, your focus on doing the work on the boat standing in the water may be a factor. The “premium” cost may be a little more rich then you would like.

The procedure involves climbing the mast, removing a shroud/stay one at a time, measuring/manufacturing or having it manufactured, then climbing the mast and replacing the shroud/stay.

My opinion, a long tedious method doing the job with added risk. For your sized boat, wanting a quality thorough job completed on a reasonable time frame, the suggestion to taking the mast down, having the rigging measured and manufactured, by @Dave Groshong, is a reasonable and cost efficient plan. This also gives you a chance to inspect and refit your mast fixtures giving your entire rig a new refurbished boat life. The Chain Plates can be inspected refurbished or replaced as needed.

Best of luck with your challenge.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Marke14,

Take the boat to shipyard in Long Beach and have them pull the mast and put it on the hard (mast storage). Marina Rigging on site there (i.e., not Bahia) might come pull your shrouds and stays, make up new ones for you, and then put ‘em back on the mast, etc. Shipyard could reinstall the mast. If not Marina Rigging, take ‘em off yourself and then to Pacific Offshore Rigging in San Diego for duplication. Then reinstall, etc. A problem with general stores like West Marine, etc., is that they do not want to do swaging, so are no help with it. BUT, check the WM in Newport Beach. There’s a rigging shop there; not sure if they do only running rigging. Clearly more convenient than a run to San Diego. This will likely be expensive, however.

One other possibility is to ask the people (e.g., Mr Kelly) at Kelly Marine in San Pedro for a recommendation. They might know some local folks that can do it. Yet another approach would be to ask the yacht club there (CBYC) if you can post on their board for services, etc.

KG

 

[marke14]

Thank you both for your replies, I appreciate the advice. Since you mentioned him, Kelly is the one I worked with most recently and stopped returning my calls unfortunately. I'm not that proud, but I won't beg a businessman to take my money if you know what I mean. This is my frustration.

To be clear, I don't intend to do this work with the mast on the boat. I intend to have a crane pull the mast, as KG referenced. I'm nearly due for a bottom paint job so I was planning to get that done as well.

I guess I am just nervous quarterbacking the entire job myself, being as I don't have this experience or expertise. I understand that I can enlist a shipyard to pull the mast and yes I could unscrew the turnbuckles and free the shrouds, no doubt.

I have very little free time and I have saved up funds for this rigging job, for years now! So I look at the tradeoff of time vs. money spent on a professional service - and the expertise they bring - and I am willing to foot that bill.

There are thousands of sailboats slipped locally - how is it that there are no providers willing to do this work? My wife jokingly suggested that we may have found a niche business opportunity.

 

[marke14]

To make a similar analogy, I have a new set of tires that I need to mount for my motorcycle. Granted it's less specialized than sailboat rigging; however you also can't go to America's Tire Company and get it done. Sure, I could invest in a motorcycle tire mounting rig, and make or buy a wheel balancing jig, and then find some place to store this extra gear.

In the same fashion, I have looked into building a wooden A frame jig to bring down the mast. I know and have worked with local boat yards for bottom paint etc. I'm not allergic to work!

In exactly the same way that I will just take my bike to a specialist to mount my new tires, I want to work with a rigging company to redo the standing rigging.

 

[Rick D]

Did you try Bahia?

 

[marke14]

Indeed I did, Rick.