Sailboat Rigger - Mast Stepping & Rigging Specialist

Summary: Barden's Boat Yard in Marion, MA is hiring a full-time Sailboat Rigger to step, unstep, and tune masts on sailboats up to 50', with pay of $58,000–$79,000/year plus benefits.

Job Description

Barden's Boat Yard, a family-owned marina and boatyard operating on Sippican Harbor since 1927, is hiring an experienced Sailboat Rigger for our Marion, Massachusetts location. This is a hands-on, full-time role for someone who knows sailboat rigs inside and out — from stepping a mast for the first sail of the season to tuning it for optimal performance and breaking it down for winter storage.

You'll work on sailboats up to 50 feet, handling the full seasonal rhythm of a New England boatyard: spring commissioning and mast stepping, in-season tuning and rigging repairs, and fall unstepping and winter mast storage. No two days are identical — one morning you might be stepping a mast with the yard's crane, the next you're aloft in a bosun's chair inspecting a spreader or replacing a halyard.

This role suits a rigger who takes pride in precision work, is comfortable working at height, and enjoys the satisfaction of sending a boat back out on the water rigged right.

What You'll Do

• Step and unstep sailboat masts (up to 50') using yard cranes/hoists, safely and efficiently

• Transport and store masts in the yard's storage building during the off-season

• Prep and set up masts and standing rigging before stepping

• Tune rigging for proper mast rake, shroud tension, and sail shape

• Break down masts and rigging hardware for winter storage each fall

• Diagnose and complete rigging repairs (standing and running rigging) during the winter shop season

• Inspect rigging hardware, wire, and fittings for wear and safety issues, and recommend replacements

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Proven, hands-on experience stepping and unstepping sailboat masts

• Working knowledge of standing rigging (shrouds, stays, turnbuckles) and running rigging (halyards, sheets, lines)

• Comfortable working aloft (bosun's chair/mast climbing) and following fall-protection safety practices

• Ability to read rigging tension and make tuning adjustments (rake, spreader angle, shroud tension)

• Physically able to lift, maneuver, and rig masts and heavy hardware in an outdoor boatyard environment

• Reliable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working both independently and as part of a yard crew

Preferred (Nice to Have)

• Experience with wire and rope splicing, swaging, or mechanical rigging terminations

• Familiarity with common rig hardware brands (Harken, Selden, Isomat, etc.)

• Forklift or crane/hoist operating experience

• Prior boatyard, marina, or marine service experience

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay: $58,000–$79,000/year, based on experience

• Health insurance (50% employer-paid)

• 401(k) plan

• Seasonal bonuses (mid-season and year-end)

• Life insurance

• Paid vacation and sick time

About Barden's Boat Yard

Barden's Boat Yard is a historic, family-owned full-service marina and boatyard that has served Sippican Harbor in Marion, Massachusetts since 1927. Nearly a century in, we're still driven by the same commitment to hands-on craftsmanship, customer service, and community that started the yard — and we're looking for skilled tradespeople who share that pride in the work.