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Rigger in Portland, OR?

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Looking for a rigger in Portland to discuss chainplate issues. Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Doug
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Have you talked with Loren B.?

I believe that we have already exchanged some email. The problem is... the really sharp rigger that put a whole new standing rig on my boat sold his business a few years ago and went cruising!
(As we say it hereabouts, the basic plan is to go down the Columbia River to the sea, turn left, and keep going 'til the butter melts...) And by golly that's what he and his lady did!

Sailing-wise, Portland is not all that large a market...
:rolleyes:

Thanks,
Loren
 
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bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Hey Loren, we did exchange an email or two a while back, but I don't think it was about rigging.

I did hear that the local rigger had retired, that's why I was asking. I may give Brion Toss up in WA a call. I know they'll travel, I was just hoping to avoid the travel costs!

Anyone else in Portland need a rigging survey done, and split their travel costs:p


Doug
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Oops. That must have been another Ericson owner.
The local guy that bought up Butch Bogan's rigging shop is a boat wright named Brooks Dollar. He was working out of a shop on Hayden Island, but the recession recently forced him to move the equipment home and go back to working out of his van.
wk: 503.289.1855 - cell 503.314.1388 (cell is always best)
He is now focusing on rigging, per my last contact with him a couple months ago.

Best,
Loren
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I know Brooks, my boat is in the yard where Charlot used to be. But, I wasn't aware that he was a rigging specialist. I'll talk to him next time I see him.

Thanks, Loren.

Doug
 

Cory B

Sustaining Member
Brooks

I hadn't heard that about Brooks... I guess I don't keep up with the Hayden Island gossip since we moved the boat over to Multnomah Channel. Too bad.

I don't think he's a "true rigger", but he seems like a pretty bright guy who might be able to give you an informed sanity check if you don't want to find someone up North.
 

PDX

Member III
They gave up their lease in that building on the back of Sexton's several months ago. As mentioned above, Charlot's principal, Brooks Dollar, is still doing boat work in the area w/o a shop or yard. I don't know whether he has retained the "Charlot" business name.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
According to Brooks they didn't have any large restoration or build projects in the pipe and couldn't stay open on the smaller jobs alone. It's too bad.

Doug
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Talked to Brooks yesterday he recommended a local guy named Rich Trackey (sp.). Anyone know him?

Thanks,

Doug
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Talked to Brooks yesterday he recommended a local guy named Rich Trackey (sp.). Anyone know him?
Thanks
Doug

Sounds like Rich Trachi. I used to know his folks when we were all racing and cruising in the Ranger 20 one design fleet in Portland in the late 70's. He must have been a teenager at the time. :rolleyes:

He bought a used roller swager a decade or two ago and does some rigging and misc boat work. Rumors are all I have, but am told that he is slow to get work done and that no one knows when the swager was last recertified. Those devices wear and you have to replace the spendy dies regularly, as well as have samples pulled to destruction by a lab. He's lives under the radar, so info is sketchy. You might ask (loft owner) Kerry for a reference over at the North Sails loft in NE Portland.

Loren
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Brion Toss let me know recently he is planning a trip down here to Portland to conduct some rig surveys sometime this month (hopefully) or in early April. If anyone wants a rig survey, you should give him a call to get on the list. Would save on having to pay the full travel expenses.

Doug
 

PDX

Member III
Rich Trachi was recommended to me by someone whose Portland area contacts go back a long way. The only contact info I have for him is phone number 503-309-2035. I have no idea whether its current. I tried to google him and came up with (for Richard D. Trachi) an old houseboat photo essay and a boat ownership registration (1940s wooden power boat). No business name or rigging hits on google.

Doug: I am interested in sharing the travel expense for a rig survey. I contacted Toss' office last week and was told the scheduling person was out of town for the week. I will follow up this week. Is Brooks not doing rigging after all, or just not doing rig surveys?
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I think Brooks will make replacement rigging (I know he has a swager), but when I spoke to him about the mast and chainplates he recommended I talk with Rich or someone else.

Glad you will be signing up for the rig survey. The more folks we can get to have Brion look at their rig the cheaper it will be!

Doug
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
"Circuit Rider / Rigger"

If it would be advantageous for other Portland area (or close by) sailors to join in on this "share the travel cost" idea for Brion, perhaps one of you in the core group should post an announcement on the NW Sailing list at
http://sailcascadia.org/
and subscribing info is here
http://sailcascadia.org/how-to-join.html
:nerd:
It's a mostly sailing and NW cruising group with quite a few Columbia River sailors in it.

Sometimes the list is quiet for a few days and then hits ten messages a day.
The cruising information (i.e. local knowledge) shared is invaluable, imho.

An opportunity to share costs of a visiting rigger of the caliber of Brion Toss would be nice. Portland lost a valuable resource when Butch Bogan closed up ("B&B Rigging") and headed for the South Pacific.
If you all like the idea, and it looks like Brion would have the time, perhaps I could also post a notice to the group email list for our yacht club, too.

Loren
 

DynamicDave

Member I
Me thinks Butch has returned from his lifelong cruise..

Butch made it back in town sometime last month. You'll have to get the story out'a him though!
 

TAPH2O

Member II
Any updates on a rigger my daughter needs mast head work done and possible wire halyard restrung as Papillon now has rope on wire shieves?
Craig Shaw ring a bell for anyone?
 
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TAPH2O

Member II
Brion Toss let me know recently he is planning a trip down here to Portland to conduct some rig surveys sometime this month (hopefully) or in early April. If anyone wants a rig survey, you should give him a call to get on the list. Would save on having to pay the full travel expenses.

Doug

Brion Toss passed of cancer 6 jun 2020
 
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