$105/Hour Too Much for Boatwork ?

[DeepFrz]

Yes, for gosh sakes, go sailing, see if the mast falls down! Oh, but first you might want to figure out how to attach and raise your sails, and there is that little item of a block that fell off. But, hey, pack up the kids and the wife and go sailing first. How's the insurance, by the way?

[svcambria]

The tasks you describe (except for the sheave) are not something that require a professional rigger, certainly not a really really good (expensive) rigger. By now you must have met people in or near your marina, while out motoring, or at the chandlery or yacht club. Have you checked on line as well? I haven't searched it myself but I would bet there is a Westsail interest group you should check (and a Westsail products site run by a guy named Bud).
If you are going to be competent in sailing, you have to - uh, er - go out and sail. It's like learning a musical instrument, can't do it all from books. Again, people around you in a marina, yacht club and/or informal races can help.
In the meantime, hopefully you have a decent anchoring set-up and a dinghy with a motor you can use to tow you as necessary.

Michael

[sailorboy1]

Sounds like instead of a rigger; that you should buy a couple cases of good beer and go looking for a helpful sailor!

[sneuman]

I think a truism ought to be true more often than not and the one about "you get what you pay for" ain't. Sometimes you do, but just as often it's a lazy (and rich) man's excuse for failing to do due diligence.

[Boracay]

Having watched a rigger climb to the top of my mast, if I was charging I'd want $1000 p.h. to do it.

[psneeld]

Typical marina charges per hour in the Northeast are 85-125 per hour...depending on where and what the job is.

Like all businesses...what sometimes you pay in labor...workers can save a bit in materials by what the can order cheape or have on hand or can refurbish.

$105 for the DC area sounds right...for general run of the mill marina charges....you can beat that...but at what extra coordination?

[Dennis.G]

Sounds like going rate to me. That said, more than I would want to spend myself. Big motivation to get the knowledge and do your self.

Of course, a few hours x $105 can be a downright bargain in comparison to doing it yourself and doing it wrong. You are paying for the expertise, not the labor.

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

The truth is, I procrastinated all summer and never put up my sails or learned to sail my boat. I motored everywhere. Now that I'm supposed to go to Annapolis with my teenage kids for a Westsail gathering in a month or so, I decided to put up my sails. Only I don't know how to operate my antiquated roller furler, my mainsheet is hooked up all wrong and I can't figure out how to do it correctly, the sheave at the top of the mast that holds my staysail halyard up fell off and i don't know how to use a bosuns chair. I assume my rig also needs tuned I guess. If I had been a little more industrious I could have figured it all out over the summer, but I didn't and now it's crunch time. In my defense though, It's been awful hot this summer and .....well, it's been hot. lol

Hey Ho, Virgin Boy. How's civilian life coming along? Tho' I'm old, I'm hardly an old sea salt, but I am a bit ahead of you in boat ownership, by at least half a dozen months if memory serves. Procrastination leads to some nasty feeling outcomes, so pick a course and buckle down if you are going to try to meet your one month deadline for the sake of your kids' visit. If you are lucky and they are all eager to lend a hand, so much the better, but I'm sure you want all to have a good time.

Do you really need a staysail to SAIL? Is the staysail stay vital for mast support? If not, just go sailing and fix it later. Sailing comfortably and safely is about study, practice, practice, practice, restudy.

I like directness, if it's not in bad faith, and in that vein I like what Bill had to say, and send a +1 for the words of roverhi, even tho' he was only a squid in his former military life, he seems to know a bit about cruising sailboats. I don't think it wise, in fact, bad form, to take out loved ones who're lubbers if you don't know the boat and have a good handle on the route and weather beforehand.

regards, Jon

[SaltyMonkey]

Its the potomac and the chess...you'll be fine. Worse case is sea nettle stings so take some meat tenderizer!

"The Chesapeake Bay Rendezvous will take place September 16 - 18, 2011 at Herrington Harbour North Marina, 389 Deale Road, Tracys Landing, MD 20779"

Not quite to annapolis.

If i were doing this I would look for a buddy who has some experience to help you fix a few kinks and get you comfortable. Could act as crew on your trip too.

Move the boat up there to Annapolis after the Rendezvous, get some work done. Use it during the boat show as a base. Then sail it back in October or November, or leave it in Annapolis during the winter.

[sabray]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Its the potomac and the chess...you'll be fine. Worse case is sea nettle stings so take some meat tenderizer!

"The Chesapeake Bay Rendezvous will take place September 16 - 18, 2011 at Herrington Harbour North Marina, 389 Deale Road, Tracys Landing, MD 20779"

Not quite to annapolis.

If i were doing this I would look for a buddy who has some experience to help you fix a few kinks and get you comfortable. Could act as crew on your trip too.

Move the boat up there to Annapolis after the Rendezvous, get some work done. Use it during the boat show as a base. Then sail it back in October or November, or leave it in Annapolis during the winter.

Point lookout and parts of the bay can turn quite nasty. A lot of boaters have found out in those areas. It's a really nice trip but I would put my boat in order and watch the weather and currents at the mouth. A lot of shortwaves blow through that area this time of year. Getting dismasted or disabled at point lookout in 45 knot gusts would not be enjoyable.

[SaltyMonkey]

Oh sure, but nothing unimaginable for this time of year...unless its from tropicana.

Don't let the naysayers and pantywaists disrupt the good juju. I used to live in St Marys. GO SAILING!

PS:

You might hit this too. I wouldn't miss it!

NAS Patuxent River Air Expo
2011-09-02 - 2011-09-04 (Patuxent River, MD - US)
http://www.paxairexpo.org/Home.html

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Seems a little high for me. There's an expression that you make 90% of your money off of 10% of your clients, so try to avoid being that 10% if you can ...

I think you’re misunderstanding/misrepresenting the implications of the 80/20 Rule ((the exact numbers aren’t important) of the "vital few and trivial many" (Pareto Principle).
I always endeavour to be one of the vital/valuable few.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I think you’re misunderstanding/misrepresenting the implications of the 80/20 Rule ((the exact numbers aren’t important) of the "vital few and trivial many" (Pareto Principle).
I always endeavour to be one of the vital/valuable few.

there's another one...

in the military... 10% of the troops take 90 percent of your tme and leadership skills to babysit.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I think you’re misunderstanding/misrepresenting the implications of the 80/20 Rule ((the exact numbers aren’t important) of the "vital few and trivial many" (Pareto Principle).
I always endeavour to be one of the vital/valuable few.

I've heard the 80/20 rule for eating and so much else, but the 90/10 came straight to me from a guy who runs a boat yard.

[Redcoat]

When I was in Port Townsend Wa. Dan @ Port Townsend rigging came to my boat and for $60.00 an hour spent two hours with me and with my previous experience pretty much told me everything I needed to know about the rigging. Oh and if you can't do your own work don't go.