Going rate for rigger to climb mast

[Fbfisher]

Monopoly, market whatever you call it it is what it is and if you don’t have choices, you’re stuck with what is even though it might seem unreasonable

[Bill_Giles]

Frankly I’d not go to sea if I were not prepared to ascend to mast in an emergency situation. I’d not want the first time that I ever ascended the mast to be in an emergency. (And I am 80!)

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

On my friends' boats I work for beer.

Next time you're climbing your friend's mast, wear one of those Beer Hats. Hell, make a YouTube Mast-Climbing how-to video wearing one. That would be hilarious.

[billcrowley]

You have the option of purchasing an ATN Mast Climber and doing it yourself, now about $485. They say it is safe and easy to use - requires leg muscles, but no second person. Sometimes ATN has a demo unit at boat shows, so you can try before you buy.

[sailorman14]

I have been climbed mast for years and I can tell you it’s never a 1 hour job.
And also never a 1 man job. And that’s just for safety considerations.
Most of my work includes 1 1/2 hours of drive time and if the boat is in a boatyard then they charge me 20% of my invoice to customer. So in my opinion $325 is a fair price. Seems like the rigger is trying to be up-front and honest about the charges with you.
Maybe you should thank him.

[eemahoney]

Last year, I had to have a halyard restrung. The chase line i put in broke over the winter.

325, for about 30 min work, three guys, one going up, a grinder and a trailer.

[twofingerpoi]

Friend of a friend that is not licensed etc asked $75/hr to survey my standing rigging etc. Took a couple hours so I paid him $200 cash. Port Canaveral.

[Jimmyhenry]

Just had our rigger up the mast three times. I give him $50 each time. He is happy with that. So am I.

[thinwater]

As many have pointed out, unlike a job on the ground, they are estimating without actually laying eyes on the problem.



Just a bulb.

• The halyard is crap, not climbable, or I don't want to use it for some reason. Allow time to pull new climbing and possibly belay lines. And lugging all this extra gear around, whether I end up needing it or not.
• The fixture turns out to be corroded. Come down and get new one. I may have to adapt something.
• Wire may be bad.
• Time spent talking to the customer about the above.

I've done many jobs on my boats that were less than an hour. I know my halyards, I know what is up there. And sometimes it took longer or sevral trips.

[Icarus]

I f you think a job on a boat takes one hour in real life you can easily double that...
Nothing ever takes an hour..there are drill bits which brake, frozen bolts and screws, things are in the way and must be moved, wrong size pins and so on.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It's only high risk if you do it wrong. Seriously. Fear of heights does not make something dangerous, but sloppy rigging can.
...

I disagree.

I think that a hidden sharp edge inside a mast, or UV deteriorated line at the top of a mast, or a sudden large wake from a nearby vessel that is being operated at illegal speeds in a no wake zone, could make a mast climbing job high risk, even if the climber does nothing wrong himself.

[gregjm]

When folks serving fast food are making $20/hr what would you expect in this economy? For the record, I DO think that's too much money but I'm 73 and I'd go up myself rather than spend dough on over-priced services.

The truth is that everyone thinks their time is worth a fortune and now they've been told/taught since childhood that they're 'special'.

I wouldn't go up for $200 because the time and liability is far more than the one hour. The real issue is people want to do these types of activities but they don't want to brace up and handle what needs to be done, it's easier to write a check.

[Benz]

I charge $100 for the first hour of going aloft, $60 for every hour after that. With boatyards beginning to insist on being named on the insurance and getting a cut of the invoice, that's going to go up soon. The OP's quote was not uneasonable, esp. with driving time factored in, unknown halyard and mast conditions (some returning clients get a price from me that reflects what I know about their rigs and can estimate times better), and needing to drill holes aloft.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by gregjm

When folks serving fast food are making $20/hr what would you expect in this economy? For the record, I DO think that's too much money but I'm 73 and I'd go up myself rather than spend dough on over-priced services.

The truth is that everyone thinks their time is worth a fortune and now they've been told/taught since childhood that they're 'special'.

I wouldn't go up for $200 because the time and liability is far more than the one hour. The real issue is people want to do these types of activities but they don't want to brace up and handle what needs to be done, it's easier to write a check.

So which is it?
Is it too much money, or does one's time and liability have greater value?

You're all over the board here.

[gregjm]

Not "all over the board"...just weighing out both sides of an issue.