pessimist
Well-known member
As per the title. I've had a quote of over £370 ex vat. Is this in the right ballpark, or do I assume the rigger does not want the job?
Cost to fit wind mast head unit and cable.
- Thread starter pessimist
- Start date
Boathook
Well-known member
Is the mast up or down ? Does the rigger have to travel to the boat, etc.
If up it is likely a two handed job
If up it is likely a two handed job
pessimist
Well-known member
Mast up local travel only.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Nothing to stop you doing it yourself or getting another quote.
Bloke has got to make a living & I assume that you want it threadled into the cabin with a socket etc.
Where in the world are you? Is there a unit fitted already with a wire to pull the new wire through? How big is the boat?
When I renewed my current one I found that I was up the mast 2.5 hours whilst my son had to try to feed the new wire via the tangle of wires in the mast. Then I still had to remove the plug & re fit it when up the mast.
Bloke has got to make a living & I assume that you want it threadled into the cabin with a socket etc.
Where in the world are you? Is there a unit fitted already with a wire to pull the new wire through? How big is the boat?
When I renewed my current one I found that I was up the mast 2.5 hours whilst my son had to try to feed the new wire via the tangle of wires in the mast. Then I still had to remove the plug & re fit it when up the mast.
pessimist
Well-known member
Nope, just cable to the foot of the mast and, yes, there is an old cable to pull through.
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
Seems a reasonable price to me. Basic steps for the job and adding a time element to them, multiplied by £50 per hour, gets into the ballpark of your cost.
pessimist
Well-known member
O.k, thanks everyone - looks as though I'll have to raid the piggy bank
Bodach na mara
Well-known member
I have done this a few times on my own boats and it is not a quick job. I have always had the mast down (at the time £75 each way crane hire, dearer now) and even with a cable in place it involves cutting a plug off th foot and using the old cable to draw the new one down, then attach another plug. The sensor unit needs mounting but with luck you can use the holes left in the mast to fit the new one. If not then new holes need to be drilled and that is a job that I wouldn't dream of doing up the mast.
The quote sounds fair to me but I would probably do it myself and save my cash if I were fit. Right now I would pay up because my wife won't let me near the boat until I have completed the cardiac recovery plan following a recent heart attack.
The quote sounds fair to me but I would probably do it myself and save my cash if I were fit. Right now I would pay up because my wife won't let me near the boat until I have completed the cardiac recovery plan following a recent heart attack.
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
A wise decision. I hope your recovery is good.
SaltyC
Well-known member
Depends where you are, South Coast sounds good value, other areas it's reasonable. It is a days job, £50 /hour 8 hours = £400.
Boathook
Well-known member
I renewed my wind instruments a few years back. Two handed job and took nearly a day. Drilling new holes on the masthead for the new vane took a while. Its something I would now possibly pay someone to do with me assisting as second person if they will have me !
Daydream believer
Well-known member
When I did my wind indicator I decided that I did not need a reserve halyard. After all my dynema halyard has a SWL of 4.5 tonnes.
But I was up there for some time in hot weather & started to feel faint whilst my son struggled to sort the wires at deck level. The last job was to drill the mast head for 2 self tapping screws for the bracket. I could not really see where I was drilling, as I could not get right to the top, but managed OK. Then once it was fitted I started to go faint & yelled to my son to get me down quick. I had to lay down for 15-20 mins. Then they took me to the marina bar for sustinance & it was some time before I felt better.
However, as I lay on the deck when they let me down my son showed me the halyard.
I do not know what was worse. The shock that I was hanging on a few threads where I had drilled through it, or the shock of £220-00 for a new halyard
But I was up there for some time in hot weather & started to feel faint whilst my son struggled to sort the wires at deck level. The last job was to drill the mast head for 2 self tapping screws for the bracket. I could not really see where I was drilling, as I could not get right to the top, but managed OK. Then once it was fitted I started to go faint & yelled to my son to get me down quick. I had to lay down for 15-20 mins. Then they took me to the marina bar for sustinance & it was some time before I felt better.
However, as I lay on the deck when they let me down my son showed me the halyard.
I do not know what was worse. The shock that I was hanging on a few threads where I had drilled through it, or the shock of £220-00 for a new halyard
Neeves
Well-known member
Stg50 an hour, per person, seems cheap to me and its a 2 person job. Take out your VAT and its not much of a living for 2 people. I would not rely on an owner - if he is asking for someone to do it - that means he cannot do it himself and is not someone I would want to rely on. The man at the top of the mast needs someone on the deck who has a good idea of exactly what he needs to do without the 2 of them alerting everyone else in the vicinity. No-one has any idea how easy or difficult it will be, until he arrives at the top of the mast.
Jonathan
Jonathan
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Read the post it says Ex VAT
fredrussell
Well-known member
Seems a strange attitude. Not much fun working at the mast top and I would have thought most people would pay someone else because they didn’t want to do it, rather than because they lacked the ability. Having just done exactly the job OP refers to, I would happily pay a professional to do it next time if funds allow. Sadly, they rarely do.
Neeves
Well-known member
I don't need to - I can rely on you to add the correction.Read the post it says Ex VAT
To me, and I enjoy mast work - its part of owning a yacht. Its really not difficult. But unless you are prepared to go up a mast, being too monied, then you don't appreciate the support necessary, you lack the background, call it lacking the ability.
Jonathan
Rappey
Well-known member
I decided to fit a new wind unit and cable plus a new antenna and cable. I was up and down the mast 6 times ! Trying to get cables through mast was the biggest problem.
Graham376
Well-known member
I did it the easy way when our Stowe packed up. Left the old wire in the mast and fitted a NASA wireless wind which took around half an hour up the mast and a couple of hours modifying the instrument panel and fitting the display.
Wandering Star
Well-known member
I had a new masthead transducer fitted by DN Marine whilst the boat was on a swinging mooring in Poole. Cabled Dow to the foot of the mast and they also fitted an LED bulb to the tricolour light whilst they were up there. Invoiced £200.
mrangry
Active member
I just fitted a wireless unit