Having worked as a professional rigger on some of the most avant-garde boats afloat, Isbjørn Mate Liz Karamavros has caught a glimpse of what the future holds for cruising rigging. Read on and learn how and why Liz got her start in the rigging Industry! Join Liz and ISBJORN Skipper August LIVE June 9th for a free synthetic rigging and splicing tutorial!

Synthetic Rigging // Splicing Tutorial // FREE

Tune in this June 9th at 5PM EDT and join Liz for the latest 59 North Livestream! Joined by Isbjørn Skipper August Sandberg, Liz will talk about her experiences with synthetic rigging, her life as a pro rigger, and give you plenty of tips and tricks for your boat. Liz will also demonstrate and teach one of the most useful skills you can have on a boat; The Brummel Splice! Want to follow along and do your own? Our good friends at Colligo Marine are teaming up with us on this, and will provide you with 6 feet of 3/16” (5mm) Dyneema FOR FREE if you follow this link and purchase their excellent Selma Fids Splicing Kit for the workshop!

Click Here to Register (Free)!

How I Think About Rigging

ISBJØRN Mate Liz Karamavous

The more I think about how I was trained as a professional rigger, the more I see the layers of how I worked my way into the sailing industry. The definition of a “sailor” is wider than someone who just hops on a boat, trims sheets, taking down sails, and puts them back up again. If you’re a sailor, you are a jack of all trades. This includes but is not limited to rigger, sailmaker, chef, meal planner, engine and generator mechanic, cleaner, varnisher, painter, navigator, meteorologist, and of course a professional “free wifi cafe” finder.

In 2017, I graduated from college after sailing with Andy and Mia on Isbjörn a handful of times. I was hooked. As an avid ‘59 North Sailing Podcast’ (now known as ‘On the Wind’) listener, I understood that the desire to be a sailor had layers. There is an endless amount of information out there and I had to pick one and just start. In college, I did some online marketing with Colligo Marine [LINK]. They are an awesome synthetic standing rigging company for cruisers and racers alike. They sell Dyneema and Dyneema hardware. Colligo taught me the basics of load, splicing, and what Dyneema is. They enriched my synthetic rigging vocabulary. I came to realize that synthetic rigging was the way the industry was moving. I also found that my math skills from university were put to good use as a rigger and led me to success!

I had then and now have a mindset - that if ‘it’ is something I want and something I work for, I will get it. Some would say foolish - some wise - but it’s unwavering in my character.

In my final year of university, I knew I wanted to pursue sailing as my career, knew the layers it took to be a competent sailor, had a small background in rigging and young, bold confidence. I decided to move to Newport, RI.

The March before graduation I drove there in business casual in my 2003 Jeep Liberty with 200,000 miles for a job interview at Newport Shipyard (NSY). I was way overdressed for the interview and I got the job, but only part-time. I wanted a job as a rigger but took the job at NSY if apprenticing as a rigger turned out to be unpaid.

I knew a few friends in the sail-racing industry just by going to school by the water. After the interview, I called all of them asking for names of rigging shops in the area and about each one’s reputation. Everyone said, “Gorilla Rigging is the best”. So I turned my car around and took my two resumés (Scientific & Sailing) to Gorilla Rigging. I said “My name is Elizabeth Karamavros. I’m graduating in May and want to be a rigger” to the owner and shook his hand; my resumes soon to follow. I had no idea who he was at the time, but he was the man behind the first desk I saw. I later found out that Gorilla Rigging is one of the top three racing rig shops in the world, and works on Grand Prix Race Boats.

Long story short, I worked there for two years. I started as a part-time apprentice and worked my way up to full time. The owner told me much later that I got the job because of that bold confidence (in more colorful salty-sailor words that I will spare). There I learned to work with riggers that had been in the industry, rigging and racing professionally, for 10 - 30 years. They pushed me into responsibilities they knew I was ready for before I was. They were patient with me as I learned, and apprenticed me the old fashioned way.

As far as knowledge on the subject - based on working with such experienced riggers - I know the very tip of the iceberg. There is so much nuance and the more I learned the more I realized how much I didn’t know. If you have ever spoken to me about rope I can talk for hours (literally). So know, if you’re looking at apprenticing - do yourself and the shop a favor - work there for a MINIMUM of two years.

It wasn’t until recently the imposter’s syndrome faded away and I realized what a wealth of information about rigging I understood. I am learning more everyday. I look forward to sharing some of my on-the-job stories on the LIVE Crowdcast event this Tuesday June 2nd at 1700 EDT!