Cruising Yacht Riggers
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We look forward to helping set up YOUR boat !
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The rigging of sailboats can range from a simple free standing mast hoisting a single halyard for a leg-o-mutton rig found on a Bay Sharpie, to the complex repeated systems found on a large square rigged ship. No matter what the system, if it is not assembled correctly and properly maintained, it will not work reliably.
Many of today’s offshore cruising yachts are rigged with aluminum spars and stainless steel support structures. With the advent of high -modulus fibers and stronger marine plastics, we have seen wood and traditional rope work techniques begin to re-enter even the most high-tech boats.
On any rigging system the importance is that it be set up fair and that the loads be managed properly at all times. A proper rig installation and tuning can produce a long lasting and strong set up with almost any type of rig design. All leads must be fair and place loads into support structures that can bear them.
Often when boats are originally assembled, the commissioner presumes the designer and builder got things right, and has been known to have ignored obvious issues which will arise from poor fitting rigging components. Swage to wire terminals which cannot load at the correct angle is probably the most common item to be overlooked. This can lead to broken cables or damaged mast in short time.
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One of the most important factors in proper cruising boat and rig design is that the crew be able to handle the boat at all times with ease. Nothing should be scary, or physically damaging to your body. We find that while it can be convenient to lead some of the basic controls back to the cockpit , it is much better to set the deck up to be a safe working area. The more time spent wandering about the deck the more you will learn about your boat, sailing, and the sea.
On this little sloop the headsail halyard and a downhaul were lead to the cockpit, so that mid-night squalls could be handled by dousing the jib and lying hove-to, a safe and comfortable position, which is easy on the crew.
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Our labor rate for sailboat rigging is $90 per hour, with a minimum of 1 hour. Our primary service area on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake runs from Gibson Island south to Edgewater including Annapolis. The Eastern Shore includes Kent Island. Outside of these areas on the Chesapeake customers will incur a $45 travel charge. We send riggers to more distant areas for projects as well. These trips are priced on an individual basis. Look for a Products and Services page on our website soon or call for more information.
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Standard rig inspection service consists of a rigger spending about 2 hours on-board your boat conducting a detailed inspection of every component of the rigging and related structure, the steering gear, and any other sail handling or deck gear. You will be provided with a basic report, including photographs of critical areas, and suggestions as to the importance repairing any issues found.
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Leather Work, Splicing, Halyard and Sheet Selection, Storm Sail Track Installations, Inner Forestay and Runniung Backstay Installations, Stanchions, Lifelines, Jack-Lines , Lazy Jacks, Roller Furling Gear, Reefing Tackles, Ratlines, Mast Steps, Deck Partners and Mast Boots, Hatches, Portlights, Cleats, Sampson Posts, Chainplates, Standing Rigging Cables and Turnbuckles, Backstay Tensioners, Self Steering Gears, Light Air Sail Controls, Tradewind Sailing Systems, Sea Anchor Systems, and more.
We can help set up your voyaging yacht.
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We spend our time cruising, to better help you enjoy your time cruising. No boat too big or too small, we love them all.
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Most sailboat owners have at least heard of halyard wrap, even if they don't fully understand what it is. Shown above is the result of halyard wrap - a broken forestay. Halyard wrap is when the halyard on a roller furled sail is able to completely wrap around the furling extrusions or stay inside the furling extrusions of a roller furling gear. This can happen when the halyard is running parallel to the head stay, or at an angle which converges toward the top. The ONLY SUCCSESSFUL WAY to stop halyard wrap is to be sure that the roller furled sail halyard leads away from the roller furling extrusions at an angle of 10 degrees or more and that there is not enough halyard exposed to allow a complete wrap around the extrusions.
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Sean and Brian (in the green shirts, that’s us) are shown here stepping the large foremast on a replica Bugeye yacht, built in St. Michaels MD by Sidney Dickson. Our experience with a wide range of sailing yachts helps ensure that every solution or options is already floating in our minds and ready to flow from our finger tips...
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Offering services for traditional cruising yachts and modern boats alike, we try to keep the best parts of simple older systems alive on modern boats.
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Shown here is yet another failure from the jib halyard wrapping on the forestay. Some manufactures of roller furling and reefing gear propose that a plastic disc secured to the stay above the furling extrusions can prevent halyard wrap. While this may work temporarily, the torque form the halyard against the plastic disc can distort and destroy the forestay. The only solution to halyard wrap is proper halyard to stay angle and short halyard length. Our riggers will spot these sorts of design flaws or installation problems during the rigging inspections, and make sure you're aware of any potential failure points on your rig.
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Dynex Dux rigging and aluminum spars in the 'spirt of tradition' set up on a steel cruising schooner. More photos of this project to come....
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A profile shot of the 50' steel schooner we built custom 'spirit of tradition' aluminum spars for. As we get it finished and sailing we will have more photos up...
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