Standing rigging replacement

[driftless]

We replaced the rig on our 38-200. We converted over from Navtec Rod to 1x9 316 Stainless wire.
We had to pay a deposit for all parts and swaging up front, and half the estimated labor cost.
For comparison, our total was $5762.66.
Great Lakes pricing.

Our mast gets stepped and unstepped every year, so that's just part of our usual storage cost.

 

[K2MSmith]

We replaced the rig on our 38-200. We converted over from Navtec Rod to 1x9 316 Stainless wire.
We had to pay a deposit for all parts and swaging up front, and half the estimated labor cost.
For comparison, our total was $5762.66.
That's pre-pandemic Great Lakes pricing.

Our mast gets stepped and unstepped every year, so that's just part of our usual storage cost.

So I’m assuming that price doesn’t include haul out and pulling the mast ? Also did they itemize and hourly rate for labor ? I was told a wire conversion would cost more than replacing rod the first time it is done because of added to few to reengineer mast connections etc .

 

[driftless]

So I’m assuming that price doesn’t include haul out and pulling the mast ? Also did they itemize and hourly rate for labor ? I was told a wire conversion would cost more than replacing rod the first time it is done because of added to few to reengineer mast connections etc .

Correct. We're hauled out and the mast comes down every winter, so that's just part of our storage fees. It's a package deal, but they break it out out as $400 for mast unstep/re-step. Haul out and launch are included in storage fees ($4.00/sq ft) so I can't say how that part of it breaks out.

They didn't give us an hourly rate, just charged us according to the estimate. So $643 for installing the new tangs and wire.
If I remember right they were initially skeptical about new tangs for wire and how they'd work with what was there for the rod, but in the end I think they could just swap out. They wrote up this quote after inspecting and determining that - the mast was already down. It's a definite advantage of our seasonal sailing.

 

[K2MSmith]

Correct. We're hauled out and the mast comes down every winter, so that's just part of our storage fees. It's a package deal, but they break it out out as $400 for mast unstep/re-step. Haul out and launch are included in storage fees ($4.00/sq ft) so I can't say how that part of it breaks out.

They didn't give us an hourly rate, just charged us according to the estimate. So $643 for installing the new tangs and wire.
If I remember right they were initially skeptical about new tangs for wire and how they'd work with what was there for the rod, but in the end I think they could just swap out. They wrote up this quote after inspecting and determining that - the mast was already down. It's a definite advantage of our seasonal sailing.

Thanks for the details. The quote I got ( around 11k ) included replacing all the rods and fittings as well as forestay and backstay , which is wire . I was told it’s possible that after disassembly, they may determine I need a new furler . They vary in price but a good ( but not top ) harken is about 3K . Also he said things can come up that take extra time to rectify ( like frozen pins etc ) . That can increase cost . Even though my boat is only 33’ , it has a very large fractional rig . Ron Hollander designed it to compete with the racer cruisers of the day . Also in the SF Bay Area , services tend to be a lot more expensive than other places . I probably could have sailed the boat south to Ventura county and saved a few grand , but that’s a 300 mile voyage each way and beating back up north is not fun ( or it’s a lot of motoring ) .

 

[southofvictor]

Wow, gotta love Wisconsin (our old country) for the reasonable rates! Too bad it’s not so simple for anyone needing work done to get there from the coast…….

 

[K2MSmith]

Wow, gotta love Wisconsin (our old country) for the reasonable rates! Too bad it’s not so simple for anyone needing work done to get there from the coast

looks like you have Lake Michgan near your state, so there has to be some good sailing there ! what I hear out here from people in the SF bay area is that costs are higher but salaries are higher also. i am not sure those ratios work out favorable though for some of us closing in on retirement with fixed incomes though.

 

[K2MSmith]

We replaced the rig on our 38-200. We converted over from Navtec Rod to 1x9 316 Stainless wire.
We had to pay a deposit for all parts and swaging up front, and half the estimated labor cost.
For comparison, our total was $5762.66.
Great Lakes pricing.

Our mast gets stepped and unstepped every year, so that's just part of our usual storage cost.

Thank you for posw

Thank you for postinhg your costs. i am sure that will be helpful to a lot of us looking to have same work done.

 

[K2MSmith]

Status update : The boat is prepped ( sails and boom removed ) and I drive it over to the riggers yard on Thursday to have the mast pulled to start the rod rigging replacement . I’m excited to finally have the work started but also nervous at the same time. Lol

 

[p.gazibara]

Probs a bit too late to comment, but we went with Coligo dux rigging back in 2018 when we had to swap out our old rod. (Had a rod head failure and nearly lost the rig in the last 70nm of a 500nm passage) total price was $4000 ish for everything. All new turnbuckles, and new cheeky tang mast fittings. The quote for new rod was more, and shipping a 4'x4' box to Tahiti was very cost prohibitive.

Replacing with 1x19 wire was nearly the same price, but my friend who had a new wire forestay fitted on his dufur 455 in Tahiti lost his rig just before arriving in tonga when one of the swages on that new forestay failed. (Be wary of Matt rigging in Tahiti)

We then sailed from Tahiti back to the Tuamotus, again to Tahiti, then on to the Cooks, Nuie, Tonga and on to NZ. We are still running on that dux rigging on Cinderella. We maybe motored 5nm during all of that, so nearly all those miles were done under sail.

My review: its awesome, haven't had to adjust the shrouds at all since we did the tune before we left Tahiti. I recently got a quote for new dux rope here in NZ to replace the full rig, it was $900NZ. Rod or 1x19 wire is considerably more and you need a swaging machine or expensive fittings to repair it. Dux can be spliced with basic tool anywhere, and the boat acts like there is a 200lb person on the rail at all times, it just stands up better. We could wear the dux rgging as a necklance its so light. I intend to keep a spool of 9mm dux aboard for any emergency splicing when I head back to the tropics.

I do plan to replace the rigging before we head north to Fiji to duck the kiwi winter next year, and I will cover it next time to protect from the only slight wear we are seeing (the jib sheets rubbing when tacking or hove-to). I will cover it at least to the first spreader (probably completely) and that issue will be resolved.

When I start to see it stretch, it will be time to replace it, pretty great to have a tell on when to replace it. The same cannot be said of SS rigging. Even at 50% of its break load its stronger than the SS wire that we would have used.

We are not sponsored by Coligo or Hampijdan but very happy with the product overall. If you do decide to use Coligo, let me know as I do have a bit of advice for ya.

-p

 

[K2MSmith]

I'm keeping a blog here with photos of the rigging process....

E33-1 - Rod Rigging Replacement Under Way

Adding an entry here to include some photos of the Rod Rigging replacement for my Ericson 33RH started today. This is a big "turbo" fractional rig (300 sq ft main) with a flexible mast that can be bent using the backstay to tune the shape of the...

ericsonyachts.org

Note: blog may be awaiting approval before you can see it at the link.