The Complete Rigger's Apprentice: Tools and Techniques for Modern and Traditional Rigging

by Brion Toss

Combining and updating the renowned Rigger's Apprentice and Rigger's Locker , meets the changing face of modern materials and technology while remaining true to rigging's best traditional principles and practices. It's much more than a knot book, though the knots a sailor needs are all here. It's a book for sailors who want the satisfaction and hard-cash savings of stepping their own masts, inspecting and maintaining their own rigs, and turning their own tailsplices and wire eyesplices. It is for boatowners who want to replace an entire gang of rigging themselves--measuring, choosing appropriate wire, turning soft eyes, leathering, and serving. It is for bluewater voyagers who want to feel secure in the knowledge that, should a shroud carry away far at sea, they will be able to repair it. The Complete Rigger's Apprentice is also a free-roaming collection of useful ideas and tips on everything from supplementing winches with block and tackle, to rigging snubbers at anchor, to using pantyhose for an emergency fanbelt. In short, it's the definitive book on the art of rigging, written by its most entertaining practitioner.

Genres: Nautical, Nonfiction

416 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1997

Reviews

[Dan Heil]

A metric shit-ton of knots and rigging techniques. Unfortunately, most of the illustrations leave a lot to be desired, but that fact actually makes you delve into the knot and learn to tie it yourself--with a bit of a guide--and so, in the end, you actually learn more than if a brilliant illustration showed you the way just once, and you could never repeat it. Having said that, make your fucking illustrations more reader-friendly, Brion. Dick.

[Bill Blevins]

This is an interesting book and I'm glad I own it but I was looking for more of a step by step, how-to book for splicing and working with sailboat rigging. Maybe I'm spoiled by watching how-to videos on YouTube where you can watch, stop, backup and repeat over and over but with this book, you generally get one or two images and a narrative to decipher. All in all, it's worth having on the boat but frankly after reading it the first time I haven't opened it again and I'm not sure I could put my hands on it quickly if I tried. It's here somewhere.

[Fanny Chaillan]

I didn’t really finish but i now consider it my bible about lines and rigging

[Jim Wilcox]

This is THE book to have for splicing and rigging-related topics. Toss's splicing video is top notch. See also Barbara Merry's book, "The Splicing Handbook."

[Tom]

Great basic reference for aspiring riggers; does a good job of explaining the whys. Illustrations are excellent as well; great for learning knots.

[Rick]

It's probably as close as you can get in book form to an actual apprenticeship.

[Eva]

Everything you wanted to know about rigging and more.