High-tech Sydney Rigging packages customised and online

by Tracey Johnstone on 21 Aug 2009 Wherever a yacht is in the world Sydney Rigging Specialists has the capability to design, deliver and support customised high-tech rigging packages, no matter what size or type boat.

Sydney Rigging Specialists was formed in 1996 as a partnership between sailmaker Bruce Clark and Peter Gardner who was then a shipwright and rigger. They have since built up the business from the two of them doing everything to now having a team of eight staff. Clark and Gardner still remain very hands-on in running the business.

Clark and Gardner between them have extensive ocean and one-design racing experience. Clark has completed 20 Sydney to Hobart races while Gardner admits to 24. 'I think he’s done more, but he won’t tell anybody. I don’t think he wants to go on the ‘idiot board’.'

'I sail at the top end so I know what I’m trying to get to. I want something to last. I know what job is being done with what we’re trying to do. With our rope guys I develop the rope to what I want. One of our biggest pluses is that we’re out there at the coalface doing it. We’re not just sitting back in our shop. I’m at the Farr 40 Worlds. I’m sailing Hamilton Island. I’m saileding 100 footers.

Bruce Clark explains the design process for these high tech rigging packages has been made simpler with the use of AutoCAD and online communication. 'The deck hardware gets specked up by the deck people. We’ll give advice as to what we want. They’ll speck loads and we’ll get all of the lines sorted out for them. A lot of that stuff involves measuring boats and meeting to discuss things. We get the drawings from the designers so we can do a lot of it without seeing the boat.

'When we did Rosebud (Sydney to Hobart winner 2007) I never saw the boat. I did it all from AutoCAD and sent them things, and they had a guy who spliced a single end on the boat for me.

'With the internet and emails, if I’ve got a question, I can email Southern Spars now and have an answer in the morning or I can email Reichel Pugh and have a drawing in the morning. The world has become a smaller place with the technology we have.'

The company’s CV of boats reads like a Who’s Who of offshore racing; Alfa Romeo, Wild Oats X and XI, Wot Now, City Index Leopard 3, Quest, Loki, Morning Glory, Farr 40s, Farr 30s, 18 Foot Skiffs, Sydney 38s and more.

'With a database of boats we know what we’ve got to do. For example, in the last year we have done six 60-footers. They became easy because this is what we do. I know what works and what doesn’t,' Clark said.

With most jobs the team at Sydney Rigging Specialists put together a price or a proposal. When they have the job they appoint Clark or Craig Garnett, who runs the custom projects as well as a lot of the shopfront side of the business.

They both oversee the project, but Garnett is responsible for making sure the team don’t miss anything. 'Often he’s involved in the final commissioning process. Last year Green Dragon was launched in England, so he was in England overseeing the final stages of the rigging project,' Clark said.

Clark will be back on Blackjack again from today 'Since Hamilton Island last year we have filled the transom in and given ourselves a bit more seating area in the back to get the weight aft, which is what all these boats have done. We’ve gone to a square top mainsail, the same as Wild Oats had last year, which means we have to have twin back stays. They’re onto a winch on the back of the boat like an old fashioned set of runners, but they’re from the top of the mast.

'Last year when Black Jack arrived we put a new set of rigging on the boat and we’re still running with that rigging. There are other things that we didn’t do straight away that we’ve now replaced. When the boat came to us it wasn’t what we’d call up to date. Now it’s fully up to date.'

The team at Sydney Rigging Specialists has a good understanding of the loadings and where they have the ability to minimise and maximum loads. 'That’s what I’d say is the difference on Black Jack now. Everything is a lot smaller in diameter because we’ve gone to better cores and it lasts because we’ve got better covers.'

'In Australia the general public perceives it the Hobart is the ultimate race. And the Hobart is a hard yacht race. The last few haven’t been. When the Skandia broke down I had a year off that year. I’ve done it every year since. I’ve done three on the 100s and I’ve done last year on Black Jack and it’s been easy every time. The second one on the 100s when I went from Alfa to Wild Oats, they were all going ‘that was a hard race.’ I was going ‘you blokes are kidding yourselves.’ Whether it’s because we sail bigger boats and you get there quicker so you don’t spend three days getting belted I’m not sure. In the Southport race this year blokes were going ‘this is miserable.’ I’m going ‘mate, it’s 28 to 30 knots of wind and it’s not that bad'.'

While the business has branched out into architectural rigging, its main focus is still on the marine side of the business. 'My passion is racing and sailing boats. I’m still fortunate enough that I’m sailing the top end boats so I’m out there all the time doing it and seeing it all', 40-year-old Clark said.

The biggest job for the team last year was the Volvo Open 70 Green Dragon project. The team also do a lot of rigging work with cruising yachts and dinghies plus they have developed a rigging package for the 18 Footers.

Sydney Rigging Specialists now provides an online shop facility. They are also providing product information to assist their customers to better understand the business’s range of products.

The shop front at Wellington Street, Rozelle in Sydney, attracts a huge walk-in business. 'We’ve got a shop that people are welcome to come to. Everybody comes here buying rope, blocks and fittings; all sorts of stuff. We’ve got Harken, Ronston, Wichard. We carry stock of everything. They can also get advice from us. We specialise in yacht rigging rather than compete selling clothes or lights or winches. If someone comes in they’ll get the right advice and the right product for the job. Cruising boats, dinghies, trailer sailors; it’s amazing how many people you see walking in here.'

Clark said he isn't scared of sending an email to a prospective customer saying ‘I hear you’re building this boat. This is what I’ve done. What about giving me the opportunity to quote’. 'That’s how I got the Moneypenny (Reichel Pugh STP65) job at McConaghy’s. The owner and project manager said ‘I was just looking at Rosebud about five minutes ago wondering who did the work on it’. I flew flown to the States to go sailing and sort it all out. And out of that project we will get more projects because people know who you are and what you’re doing.'

Wherever a boat is in the world Sydney Rigging Specialists are capable of doing the project because they’ve set-up with a custom projects coordinator. Once all the gear of the commissioning process has been done the team will then travel to the boat and do the final commissioning.

Clark says the secret to success he believes is simple 'Everyone in our team knows the most important thing above all else is doing a good job.'

For more information contact –

Sydney Rigging Specialists

5 Wellington Street
Rozelle NSW 2039

Phone: +612 9555 4277
Fax: +612 9555 4271
Email: sydneyrigging@rigging.com.au

Web: http://www.rigging.com.au