Boat Riggers in San Francisco Bay

What Services Does a Boat Rigger Provide? 

Find a company that can provide everything you need for successful and safe sailing. Most providers can offer a range of rigging services that include: 

• Splicing

  Splicing is a way of terminating a rope or joining its two ends without using knots. Knots are bulky and unsightly. Even if a knot is correctly tied, it can still cause a significant loss in the strength of a rope.

  We recommend using a local professional service when splicing or installing your ropes.

• Furling Systems

  Roller furling systems on yachts are used for hoisting a jib in a groove. When the sail is not in use, it is furled around the headstay instead of being lowered.

  To furl the sail, you only pull on a line that extends from a drum at the base of the jib aft to the winch located near the cockpit. That rotates the entire headstay and rolls up the jib.

  Choose furling systems that can perform even under the harshest of conditions. Some companies supply and install brands on any yacht size and sell major brands, such as Reefit, Profurl, Fiurlex, and Selden. 

• Wire Rigging
  Wire standing rigging is one maintenance-free aspect of contemporary sailboats. However, because little attention is given to it, many yacht owners are uninformed about their stays and shrouds.

  Make sure that you include this aspect in a rigging inspection service. It can help you understand what wire ropes can and cannot do. Also, the service can show you how you can make wire ropes perform their best.

  Some wires are constructed for strength, while others are constructed in favor of flexibility. 

• Swaging
  

  Swaging services employ the process of crimping tubular fittings onto rigging wires under high pressure. Swage fittings come with many benefits. They are cost-effective and last a long time. In the northern latitudes, swage fittings that last up to 20 years are not uncommon.

  Swage blocks are used in swaging bars and heading bolts by hand. 

• Mast Stepping
  

  Mast stepping is the process involved in raising the mast of a yacht. It may be a part of a ceremony for a new boat or as a step required in stepping the mast of a gig or dinghy. Some people routinely use mast stepping on seasonal maintenance in sailboats.

  In mast-stepping ceremonies, coins are placed or welded onto the mast step of the ship. Such a practice is seen as an essential step in constructing ships and is widely believed to be a harbinger of good luck. 

• Ropework
  

  Ropework services involve applying a set of skills that span the use, maintenance, and repair of ropes or rope systems. If the ropes on your yacht are damaged, there can be plenty of performance issues that can arise.

  Yacht owners must therefore exercise care and restraint to identify any damage before using wire ropes. Disastrous consequences, such as damage to property and injury to sailors, can happen due to damaged or low-quality ropes. 

• Masts & Spars
  

  Many companies provide mast and spar services and sell parts from trusted brands, such as Axxon, Hall Spars, Selden, and John Mast.

  Whether you need to install a completely new mast or only require some repair work on your vessel, many companies can accommodate such a need. Some companies have large workshops that can house booms and mast for more extensive work.

  If you are looking for spare parts, take a look at the companies listed in our directory. Many of them hold stocks of spares for spars and masts. If they do not have the part you want to buy, they can source it and help you perform swift repairs on your yacht.

• NDT Testing
  

  Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a testing technique used for evaluating material properties and components. It also tests structures and systems for welding defects or discontinuities. The service can do these tests without causing damage to the original part or structure.

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