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The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oar rowing boat, clinker-built of Cornish narrow-leaf elm, 32 feet long with a beam of 4 feet 10 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 is used as a pilot boat, taking pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic Coast. At the time pilots would compete between each other for work; the fastest gig crew who got their pilot on board a vessel first would get the job, and hence the payment.
Today, pilot gigs are used primarily for sport, with around 100 clubs across the globe. The main concentration is within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly,
All modern racing gigs are based on the Treffry, built in 1838 by William Peters of St. Mawes, and still owned and raced by the Newquay Rowing Club.
The sport is governed by the Cornish Pilot Gig Association, which monitors all racing gigs during the construction phase. The Association's Standards Officer is responsible for measuring every gig at least three times during construction, to ensure that it conforms to the Standard set by the Association. Gigs are crewed by six rowers, and helmed by a coxswain.
Since 1990, the World Pilot Gig Championships have been held annually on the Isles of Scilly. Held over the first May bank holiday weekend, they are attended by over 2000 rowers and spectators, and is widely believed to be the busiest weekend on the islands, with an approximate doubling of population.
The Cornish Pilot Gig Association was established in 1986 to uphold the specification of the vessel and the Cornish Pilot Gigs.
Cornish Lighthouses Cornish Lifeboat Stations Famous Cornish People Sport in Cornwall The Isles of Scilly