Independent guide: These pages describe typical arrangements. Your boat's designer, builder and rigger are the authorities on its specific rig.
Why boat type matters
A rigger quoting "standing rigging replacement" on two different boats may be describing completely different jobs. The type of boat decides:
- how the mast is stepped — keel-stepped, deck-stepped, tabernacle or rotating
- how loads reach the hull — chainplates in a monohull's bulkheads, or a catamaran's beams and bridles
- how hard the rig works — occasional bay sailing or offshore racing
- how often the rig is handled — a trailer sailer raised every weekend versus a cruiser left rigged for years
- what rules apply — class rules, Australian Sailing Special Regulations, or AMSA survey for commercial vessels
Rigging priorities at a glance
| Boat type | Typical rig | Service priorities |
|---|---|---|
| Catamarans | Deck-stepped, fractional, no backstay, forestay bridle | Bridle, compression post, high shroud loads, big mainsail hardware |
| Trimarans | Often rotating mast, stays to amas | Ama chainplates, folding systems, rotation fittings |
| Trailer sailers | Deck-stepped, tabernacle or mast foot | Lower terminals, pins, raising system |
| Cruising yachts | Masthead or fractional, furling | Furler, forestay, chainplates, rig age records |
| Bluewater yachts | Cutter or robust sloop | Redundancy, spares, mechanical terminals |
| Liveaboard yachts | Cruising rig used year-round | UV, corrosion, continuous furler exposure |
| Cruiser-racers | Fractional, swept spreaders, adjustable backstay | Tuning, backstay systems, running rigging |
| Racing yachts | Rod, composite, runners | Inspection intervals, class and safety rules |
| Classic yachts | Timber spars, galvanised or bronze | Timber condition, authentic materials |
| Charter yachts | Production cruiser rigs | Heavy use, commercial survey, records |
| Dinghies and skiffs | Unstayed or lightly stayed | Wear, class measurement, frequent replacement |
| Sailing superyachts | Carbon, rod, hydraulics | Specialist project management |
Rigging by brand
Production boats from the same builder share spar suppliers, fittings and weak points. See rigging by boat brand for guides to Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Hanse, Dufour, Catalina, Lagoon, Leopard, Fountaine Pajot, Seawind and classic Australian production yachts.
Rigging by size
The size of the boat drives cost more than anything else. See re-rig costs by length, from a 25-foot trailerable keelboat to a 60-foot bluewater cruiser, plus catamaran re-rig costs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a catamaran need different rigging services from a monohull?
Yes, in several ways. Catamaran masts are deck-stepped on a beam or compression post, forestays often attach to a bridle or crossbeam, there is usually no backstay, and shrouds carry very high loads because a catamaran does not heel to spill wind. Riggers inspect the bridle, compression post and chainplates in the hulls as priorities.
What rigging service does a trailer sailer need most often?
Inspection of the lower terminals, tabernacle or mast-foot pin and forestay attachment, because the mast is raised and lowered frequently and those components are bent every time. Many trailer sailer owners also renew standing rigging more often than keelboat owners for the same reason.
Why do racing yachts replace rigging more often?
Racing loads rigs harder and more often, uses higher rig tensions, and may use rod or composite rigging with specific inspection intervals. Class rules and the Australian Sailing Special Regulations also set safety requirements that affect rigging and lifelines.