Fritz Richardson

Pacific Offshore Rigging was started by Fritz Richardson in 1983 with the backing of two San Diego marine businesses, Custom Offshore Sails and Pacific Marine Supply. Most San Diego rigging shops had catered to the racing crowd and a void had been left supporting the offshore cruising market. Prior to 1983 Fritz worked as an apprentice rigger with San Diego rigging while finishing his mechanical engineering degree from UC San Diego. In the winter of 1983, Fritz had the unique opportunity to serve as sailmaker / rigger on the racing trimaran Crusader as he attempted to break the New York to San Francisco non-stop sailing record established by the clipper ship Flying Cloud. Although ultimately unsuccessful, the experience gained in heavy weather offshore gave Fritz the ability to pass along knowledge to his cruising customers. In January of 2011 Fritz sold the business to Kasey Campbell of KC Performance Rigging. Kasey has combined both elements of the performance and offshore rigging to make Pacific Offshore Rigging truly a full service shop. Fritz is now retired from Pacific Offshore Rigging and his enjoying his time cruising with his wife Diana on their own sailboat.