Cornish Pilot Gigs

Cape Cornwall Pilot Gig Club hosts an event in the summer and in addition to this, puts on a charity evening race in memory of one of their rowers... more

by Terri Waters

Title

Cornish Pilot Gigs

Artist

Terri Waters

Medium

Photograph

Description

Cape Cornwall Pilot Gig Club hosts an event in the summer and in addition to this, puts on a charity evening race in memory of one of their rowers who sadly died of ovarian cancer. It is known as the 'Catherine Ratcliffe' Challenge and this was the turn out for the event in July 2011.

Cape Cornwall Pilot Gig Club, based in Sennen cove, is one of the oldest clubs on the circuit having been founded in 1989. It is the most westerly club on the mainland. There are two wooden gigs named after local rocks,' Cape Cornwall' built in 1989 and Brisons in 2000 as well as a plastic training gig Longships made in 2010. Although small it is very much a community club and rowers are welcomed from all age groups. Thre is a healthy junior section, ladies, mens and veteran crews who train twice weekly as well as novice and social rowing nights, when a well earned pint can be enjoyed afterwards with a bit of banter at the local Inn in the cove. The Club competes on the circuit locally throughout the summer and take part in the annual World Championships on the Scillies. The cove is a beautiful place to row in and row around Longships lighthouse, Brisons, Cape Cornwall and Lands End regularly.

The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, built of Cornish narrow leaf elm, 32 feet (9.8 m) long with a beam of four feet ten inches.
It is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.
The original purpose of the Cornish pilot gig was as a general work boat, and the craft was used for taking pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic. In those days the race would be the first gig to get their pilot on board a vessel (often those about to run aground on rocks) got the job, and hence the payment.

Uploaded

July 2nd, 2013