# running rigging replacement cost for a 30ft



## zibadun (Mar 19, 2010)

I had an idea to hire out running rigging replacement on a 30ft sloop, with nothing fancy, just a double braid polyester. The estimate turned out to be 1700-2000+. So I told the rigger to replace just the main halyard for now (and I will do the rest by myself). He wants close to $500 for the halyard. This seems like at least 4x or 5x the cost of materials. Does this seem reasonable or am being taken for a ride?


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

Don't know about the price but you may want to consider sta-set-x for the halyard as it is only a few penny's more than stay-set (double braid) but with less stretch.

Also I would want to know if the shivs need replacing as that would up the cost.
So if your mast is what less than 40' and you have the halyard run back to the cockpit you have maybe 90' of line probably 5/16" or 3/8" at about a $1.00 a foot retail and possibly a new shackle and about two hours maybe three at $100 an hour it looks like 3 to 4 hundred might be closer unless you are not telling us something.

Like the boat is on a mooring a mile out in the harbor and the line parted and the mast needs to be climbed.


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## zibadun (Mar 19, 2010)

not hiding anything . The old halyard is in place and the boat is at the dock, not far from the rigger guy, who is no doubt very experienced. 

If you are saying that replacing a main halyard, without going aloft, requires three hours of highly skilled $100/hr labor and $200 worth of materials then I'm fine with it. I'm going to it in any case because I've bothered the person enough to feel obligated to order at least some service.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Here is a tip: do it yourself. It is actually pretty easy to do. 
Halyards are pretty easy to replace by stitching the new line onto an end of the old line and pulling it through. David is right that if your sheaves at the top of the mast are messed up this can be much more difficult to do.
Most of the lines on your boat are easy to replace but the line may cost a significant amount of money. I'd guess that you could replace ALL your running rigging on a Tartan 30 for under $500 in materials.
I'd consider getting this sewing tool to attach the 2 lines together: BAINBRIDGE INTL Needle at West Marine
be smart about burning the ends of each line you cut.


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## zibadun (Mar 19, 2010)

Hey Caleb, yes I just did not realize that DIY is that much more appealing.  I already got more than half of the rigging from cajun ropes and I did take a splicing class two winters ago. The first rigger I called (Welcome | www.westriverrigging.com) said he closed business because he could barely recover the shop and insurance cost ($20k/year). And this second rigger basically priced himself out of doing a bigger job for the entire boat. I don't quite get the economics of it


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

When we got our Taran 27' about 8 years ago the PO spent the day with me and we replaced a sheet and and a halyard together. It was not difficult to do without going up the mast in a boasuns chair. There is also the trick of using a paper clip that has been bent into a double hook arrangement to grab each end of the line. 
You don't really want a joint between the lines that is fatter so splicing might or might not work as well as just sewing the two bitter ends together and covering with the rigging tape of your choice. 
I also really like to know how my running rigging lines are routed.
DIY makes sense to me.


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## sailjunkie (Nov 4, 2009)

CalebD said:


> There is also the trick of using a paper clip that has been bent into a double hook arrangement to grab each end of the line.
> You don't really want a joint between the lines that is fatter so splicing might or might not work as well as just sewing the two bitter ends together and covering with the rigging tape of your choice.
> I also really like to know how my running rigging lines are routed.
> DIY makes sense to me.


Unless the sheaves need replacement, DIY makes sense. I used whipping twine, to whip the end of each line, with a connecting loop. Covered it with duct tape (the handyman's secret weapon ) and it went off smoothly. Took longer to scrape off the duct tape.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

I replaced the main halyard and spin halyard on my previous boat. Had the eye splices done by Defender's rigging service and pulled them through using a light messenger with the mast up. Pretty easy job.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Zib, I'm with Caleb on this one. $300 worth of labor, hell, I'd be ashamed if it took me a single hour to replace an existing line with a new one. Buy an extra ten feet of line and a splicing kit and video, spend some time learning how to splice in whatever the end fitting will be and consider yourself well paid by the savings.

Or run a messenger line with the old halyard, then drop the new line and eye off at a shop and have someone make the splice. That surely can't cost more than $75....and you can still feed the new halyard "backwards" with the messenger line that way.

The rigger's time is certainly worth money, but three hours at a hundred apiece to run a halyard...I hope that includes a titanium shackle, because the price of gold is only $1600 an ounce these days and 24k plating doesn't need a dollar's worth of it.


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## Cal28 (Jul 6, 2009)

zibadun said:


> I had an idea to hire out running rigging replacement on a 30ft sloop, with nothing fancy, just a double braid polyester. The estimate turned out to be 1700-2000+. So I told the rigger to replace just the main halyard for now (and I will do the rest by myself). He wants close to $500 for the halyard. This seems like at least 4x or 5x the cost of materials. Does this seem reasonable or am being taken for a ride?


I just spent an inordinate amount of time researching and then purchasing new running rigging. Fortunately I have all the original specs for my sailboat ... if you don't try looking here Sailboatdata.com is the worlds largest sailboat and sailing yacht database with more than 8000 sailboats, sailing yachts, and sailing dingies listed.

I'm modifying deck layout and running everything back to the cockpit ... no real existing hardware (I have to purchase) so it was relatively easy to spec size.

I sketched out each and every line ... measured what I could to determine what I wanted/needed ... read as many posts as I could here and on Cruiser's Forum and Anything Sailing regarding grade and quality ... personally spoke with 2 riggers and 3 chandleries ... got quotes from Cajun Rope (good place to look and compare notes as they have premade kits id'd for many size boats) and two other places as well as searching ebay for bulk ...

and in the end ... ending up purchasing at R&W Rope ... (as suggested by SailingDog somewhere here awhile ago) ... great helpful people and very competitive pricing ...

You might just give them a try ... (no affliation)

and yes ... do it yourself ... I'm 63 and not the most mechanically inclined ... but it sure aids in learning ...

hope this helps ...

John


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## fryewe (Dec 4, 2004)

zibadun, 900 is out of the question. And why would you feel obliged to do business with someone who didn't give you a good faith quote on work you offered him? Your request for quote shouldn't be considered "bothering him" since he should be in business to be bothered by customers and happy for it.

If you are not rerouting lines on deck and needing new hardware, running rigging should cost you not much more than the cost of the line. Splicing is easy with a little practice. I had never spliced double braid until last year. I picked up a couple of books and the splicing tools needed and practiced a bit, and now can put an eye splice in a line in just a few minutes. Also learned to back splice to terminate the ends of my running rigging. You should be able to re-use your halyard shackles if you are using the same size line you currently have. It's great to be self sufficient in every area you can be, and splicing running rigging is a skill you'll be happy to have.

All the best,
Will


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

I replaced all my running rigging w/ sta set custom ordered thru west marine for about 750.

My boat is a 27 catalina and this included:

main halyard w/ shackle
jib halyard w/ shackle
main sheet
jib sheet
travelers
headsail furling line
lazy jacks
topping lift w/ shackle
boom vang line


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

also, it takes about 5 minutes to replace a halyard, assuming the new one has the shackle and you dont have to go up the mast.
I used twist tie wire that i removed the plastic coating from and "sewed" both ends together. Then i finished it w/ electrical tape.
Worked great. 'Cept I got lazy and didnt bother sewing the lazy jack line since the halyards went so easy. I jerked hard on the wrong end of the line by accident and it did indeed separate. I had a guy from the marina reach the block with the line, which was about 10' off the deck with a ladder.


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## Cruiser2B (Jan 6, 2011)

cost me about $500 to do Main, jib ,spinnaker halyards, topping lift and spinnaker pole topping lift, all with 3/8 Sta-Set line on my Alberg 30. I of course did this myself and lit took all of a morning. This also was buying 3 new shackles. I could never afford to sail if I had to pay someone repair simple things. I think you should try and tackle it.....Should be no problem!


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## zz4gta (Aug 15, 2007)

Sta-set is cheap. are you asking for a replacement shackle? New splice in the line? Is it parallel core? If it's a double braid then it should be something like 
$60-$80 for the line. 
70 for the splice
50ish for the install. 

So at the high end, it'll be $200.


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## zz4gta (Aug 15, 2007)

Where are you located? I do rigging on the side, and could do it for less than 1/2 with better materials.


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## zibadun (Mar 19, 2010)

zz, it's in Shady Side. Just called to cancel my order but it was all done 90ft 3/8 Samson XLE with a new shackle. (hmm not even 7/16). Got a bit of a lecture for ordering a small job and getting hit with a "trip to the boat" charge. Talk about a buyer's remorse . 

Well, here is to "let this be my most stupid and expensive mistake ever" :hammer :hammer:hammer:hammer:hammer


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

For future reference, replacing an existing halyard is a piece of cake. Quick and cheap. It takes all of 10 minutes and $5.00 worth of supplies.
1. Go to Home Depot and buy some super 33+ electrical tape- regular tape works but this stuff is 7 mil vinyl and stretchy.
2. Cut the shackle off the old halyard.
3. Butt the old halyard head end and the new halyard tail end together, wrap a couple of turns of tape tightly around the joint.
4. Spiral wrap (with gaps) from a foot above the joint to a foot below the joint. Wrap tightly.
5. Spiral wrap as above in the opposite direction.
6. Test by pulling as hard as you can. The joint shouldn't come apart as the spiral wrap compresses when you load it.
7. Pull halyard through mast.
8. Cut the tape off and you are done.

Works every time- easy and very little skill.

My suggestion for your halyard would be 8MM Novabraid Syntec from R&W Rope Warehouse. $.74/foot. Lower stretch than Sta=Set X for less money. I have no affiliation with anyone in the cordage business.


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

To be official I checked with my rigger and he said he would figure an hour plus materials. Sta-setx is about $1.00 a foot retail, the high-tech stuff can be 3 bucks or more so unless there is more to the job than we know it should be closer to $200 than to $500 for the standard cordage based on these calculations.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

I used Sampson XLS Extra T and did the main and jib sheets, main, 2 jib and spin halyards, boom lift, ie 2nd main halyard for lack of better term. Probably spent 1200-1500 including new shackles and having Fisheries in Seattle do the eye splices at about $20 per. I have a 38' mast on my 30' boat! 50-100' jib, AS sheets, do not remember the main sheet or halyard off the top of my head, will swag halyards at about 70-80', inlcuding 10' for running back to cockpit along cabin top........I did the work myself other than the eye splices! 

Marty


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## zibadun (Mar 19, 2010)

all understood about the job cost. I have pointed the rigger to this thread and he can reply, if he likes.

Thanks guys so much for your help, especially for tips on how to DIY.


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