Workshops

Spend an intense weekend with Master Rigger, Brion Toss, his crew of highly skilled riggers, plus special guests, in our most popular workshops. These workshops were originally born from Brion's Rigger Apprenticeship Program. After numerous requests from professionals and the general public we took our favorites and made them available to everyone. Our days are packed with information from the handouts you will receive as well as LOTS of hands-on exercises. All the tools and materials you will need for the class will be provided, unless otherwise stated.

UPCOMING WEEKEND WORKSHOPS 2008- in our Port Townsend Rigging Shop

 

JURY RIGGING    May 3 & 4, 2008

Ever wonder how you would react to an emergency at sea? Like so many other things it comes down to skill and attitude. In this workshop,you will learn ocean-proven techniques for putting things back in working order after they've come apart. And, just as important, you'll learn how the components of a rig function what they do, how they can fail, and how you can prevent that failure. You'll learn a variety of powerful techniques, including little-known knots and procedures. You will put your new-found skills to work aboard some actual boats and there will be lots of hands-on exercises in the shop as well.

Cost: $375.00 per person. Enrollment limited to 20 people.

 

 

                       COAST GUARD SPAR AND RIGGING INSPECTION WORKSHOP-    SEPTEMBER 17.18.19. 20, 2008

                                Intensive, 4 day Training Course for USCG Marine Safety Offficers

Brion Toss and fellow rig surveyor John Koon have tailored this course t fit the needs of Coast Guard inspectors. Covering fundamentals of rig design, fabrication, and maintenance, along with methods for detecting and assessing rig damage and decay. Guest speakers will address specialized areas of concern, including metallurgy, sailmaking (the sail/rig interface), necessary math including trigonometry and calculus, and the vessel captain's perspective, etc. 

 

Exerpt from the  Workshop Synopsis:

3. Quality of Fabrication

 

Even great design can be undone by poor execution. Sometimes bad quality is a matter of poor quality materials; sometimes a matter of lack of skill

on the partof the fabricator or installer; sometimes a combination of all these things. Because poor quality by definition is not as reliable or efficient

as good quality, it results in a lower factor of safety, and thus less predictability of behavior, more rapid degradation of strength, and a greater likelihood

of failure. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to condemn a rig, not because the design is bad, or the components corroded, but because the rig as installed cannot safely do its job.

Cost $1400.00 per person  Enrollment limited to 15

                       

General Weekend Workshop Information:

• Workshops require a minimum of 5 participants. If we do not reach our minimum registration, two weeks prior to the workshop, it will be cancelled.
• Please register early with a $100.00 deposit to save your place in a class. No refunds two weeks prior to seminar.
• Saturday morning check in from 8-9 am. Class starts promptly at 9, we break for lunch 12-1, and our day ends about 5 pm each day.
• Students are offered a 10% discount on special collections of tools, books & videos purchased on that weekend.
• We're easy to find: go to the very north end of Water Street 9 the main drag downtown),  turn left at the Landfall Restaurant - which is at the Very end of Water Street , & along the harbor road to our red awning.

A map of town & lodging information is at www.ptguide.com.

We heartily recommend the accomodations of The Commander's Beach House. They offer special prices for our workshop attendees. It is one of the loveliest, most gracious, and conveinent places to stay in town.

Please call our shop 1-360.385.1080 with any inquiry about the above or for dates and locations of other Brion Toss Yacht Rigger's seminars around the Sound.