About Brion Toss Yacht Riggers

A collection of framed documents, books, and decorative items on a table, with plants and shelves in the background. The main framed document appears to be a certificate of achievement for Brion Toss, and there is a smaller sign related to a yacht rigging event.

Our founder and Master Rigger, Brion Toss, passed away in 2020, but lives on in our hearts and in our practices and techniques. Brion is best known as author of The Complete Riggers Apprentice, first printed in 1984 and today considered an authoritative text on the subject of rigging. Brion’s career as a Master Rigger was born from an obsession with knots over 30 years ago, which led him to work with some of the finest traditional riggers in the world. As his expertise and passion for the art of rigging grew, Brion’s education was taken to the highest levels, rigging everything from tiny daysailers to huge square-riggers. Brion’s experience allowed him to take the ageless wisdom of traditional rigging and apply it to the materials and applications of today, pursuing the challenge of designing the ideal rig, that unique combination of details best suited to a particular boat and its particular crew. The ideal rig will make any boat sail better, faster, and safer.

At Brion Toss Yacht Riggers we practice a systems approach to rigging, in which all components of the rig, hull structure, and even the sailor are treated as an interdependent, interrelated system.

Our rigging loft is located in the Historic Victorian Seaport of Port Townsend, Washington, though our work takes us to harbors all over Puget Sound and the world.

Crew:

Christian Gruye – Owner

Ian Weedman - Lead Rigger

Shannon Africa - Bookkeeping, Shipping 

Jen Bates – Rigger

Matthew Fahey – Rigger

Chance Bates – Rigger

Dylan Smith – Rigger

Taylor Austin – Bookkeeping, Shipping