We've got a 1985 Catalina 30 with standard rig and the standing rigging needs to be replaced. It has a roller furler and there's basically no way we can replace it ourselves (you have to cut off the fitting at the bottom of the stay, slide the sections off, put them back onto the new stay, and then swage on the new fitting after putting the foil onto the stay). So, off to the rig shop. We were horrified to discover that the yards we called around here (SF Bay Area) wanted upwards of $8,000 to do the job, including a place that planned to do it with the mast in the boat. Does this sound as crazy to others as it does to us? Is there a more affordable way to do this? I know we could take the other wires off the boat ourselves and schlepp them down to the rigger to have new one's fabricated, but I'm guessing that wouldn't take a huge amount off the cost. (I'm waiting for a quote on that.) Are we missing something?
Replacing standing rigging
- Thread starter Berkeley 30
- Start date
The cheap part of re-rigging is the cost of the wire and fittings. The expensive part is paying for the labor to install the rigging. For reference the total cost of the wire and swaged end fittings for our 36' boat was only about $3500. We removed the rigging and sent it to Rigging Only in Fairhaven, MA. They duplicate the rigging and sent it back. We did not replace the turn buckle barrels or the deck studs.
It is easiest, and a DIY job if the mast is down. This also gives you the chance to replace any wiring or lights that may need attention.
Using Standard-lock fittings is also a DIY option.
It is easiest, and a DIY job if the mast is down. This also gives you the chance to replace any wiring or lights that may need attention.
Using Standard-lock fittings is also a DIY option.
In 2018 I paid $1900 for my C30 standing rigging, except the forestay. The mast was down so the rigger took off all the rigging, went back to his shop to make up the new and back to the boat to install. When inspected the fuller he determined it was less than 10 years old so the forestay didn’t need to be changed.
It is one of those Boat challenges that happens on a 38 year old rig.
Noted you are in the San Francisco Bay. Your rig gets a work out greater than some sailing only on sunny moderate wind days. In the Bay Area $8K is not a surprise. My 35ft boat was $11K. Mast was down for 3 months (boat was in it’s slip no need for the boat to be out on the hard all that time). I had the mast stripped and rebuilt by a master rigger to ocean passage standards. This carried a higher cost. I know a Catalina 36 that had the standing rig replaced in Canada 2 years ago. Cost was about $4K USD. The mast stayed in place and the rig was replaced one line at a time while at the dock. I believe it was a 3day project.
I started with the info about your sailing location. You want to careful about how the work is done. How long you want to sail and what type of sailing you plan to do on the boat. A rig failure is not a good option in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.
Noted you are in the San Francisco Bay. Your rig gets a work out greater than some sailing only on sunny moderate wind days. In the Bay Area $8K is not a surprise. My 35ft boat was $11K. Mast was down for 3 months (boat was in it’s slip no need for the boat to be out on the hard all that time). I had the mast stripped and rebuilt by a master rigger to ocean passage standards. This carried a higher cost. I know a Catalina 36 that had the standing rig replaced in Canada 2 years ago. Cost was about $4K USD. The mast stayed in place and the rig was replaced one line at a time while at the dock. I believe it was a 3day project.
I started with the info about your sailing location. You want to careful about how the work is done. How long you want to sail and what type of sailing you plan to do on the boat. A rig failure is not a good option in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.
Catalina Direct has new standing rigging for the tall rig for less than $1200. Since your in SF, lets jack up the price for mast stepping and call it 3k. Add in some wiggle room and we're at $4500
Standing Rigging Kit for C-30 Tall Rig, Custom Match
Standing Rigging Kit for C-30 Tall Rig, Custom Match