Thread: Traditional rig costs vs Modern rig costs

One of the bits of work I do for Duckflat Wooden boats from time to time is work out a fitting/rigging list for one of their boats so they can send the full rigging kit to a customer.

I have to go through every functional area of the boat and work out the particular items to use so Ducks can look up the prices.

The rig I was looking at today was a nicely proportioned stayed rig - a gunter sloop to be precise.

Anyway - the full kit of bit from various manufacturers, the ropes and so on - all chosen to provide basic adjustment of jib sheets, cunningham eye and boom vang and all the ropes plus hold the mast up and hold the sail and rig together plus the rudder came to about $1650 which included a tiller extersion which would be optional - you could always use a PDR type extension and bring it down to $1570. No masts or other spars, no sails - this is just the fitting cost. A similar rig would look something like this



Using a freestanding rig with a Balance lug mainsail and a freestanding sprit mizzen the price it came to was $380 for similar quality ropes, pulleys and geegaws. It would look something like this.



Actually - no gee gaws - only 6 blocks and about a mile less rope, no wire or chainplates or jib sheeting gear, or cunningham or vang (as the downhaul does both). This is because most functions are acheived with rope rather than fittings of any type.

Considering that the unstayed traditional rig gives 95% of the same performance if properly set up ... this is very much the reason why freestanding masts and the more traditional rigs are such a good idea.

Did I mention that freestanding masts take between 5 and 15 minutes to rig?

Many of the better designers like the ones above - Paul Fisher of Selway Fisher and Iain Oughtred offer both choices with many of their boats. Me - I just stick to the traditional end of things but design in the most important performance improvements - but in wood and rope for the most part!

Best wishes
Michael Storer