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Category: Gig History

Just a Thought :: By Kevin Pyne

Just a Thought :: By Kevin Pyne

Don’t ever marry a pilot gigger
Because they’ll be out every night you see
From the day after Boxing Day
To if they are at all successful
The “twice around” at Newquay

Oh no don’t ever marry a gigger
Because pilot gig rowing is all that’s ever on their mind
From sun up to sun down
After which it’s “team bonding” in the pub
Or down the gym for a work out
With only mountains of dirty wet kit left behind

No no don’t ever marry a gigger
Or they’ll always turn up late
And want to talk about nothing else other then if
She’s a good rower or he’s a good rower?
And stuff like who should be at three or four
And should they “dump the Cox” to save a little extra weight

So don’t ever marry a gig rower
Lessing you’re prepared to be a gig rower yourself
With an oar, smelly trainers, gaffer tape, and paint pot
And varnish brush, for company
Or at other times “precious little else”

And if you should be daft enough
To marry a gig rower then what is there to say
Other then get your loving in
During the winter months because it will all stop
When they start training for Scilly
From late December until that first bank holiday in May

And oh yes there are the plusses
Like sun and sea and sand
But the worst of it is the cost of it
All whilst nothing but nothing ever goes to plan

Because he won’t row with this one
And every rower knows best
All whilst they are always ready to criticise
Yet they rarely want to sort out any kind of mess

Mind you the coxswains they are all “useless”
And there is always the need a newer better boat
So if you can marry yourself a landsman’s
Or lands woman
Because frankly to be married to a pilot gigger
Leaves you penniless and with precious little hope

Gigs resume commercial pilot duties

Gigs resume commercial pilot duties

This news just in – as part of an effort to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, improve the welfare of their workforce, and assist a thriving local pastime, Falmouth Pilot Co. have announced they are to start using traditional pilot gigs once more as part of their pilotage service for the many commercial vessels that visit Falmouth harbour for bunkering, crew changes and repairs.

A spokesman for FPCo said : “With the multitude of pilot gig rowing clubs in our immediate area and the volume of commercial shipping we handle it makes sense to start to offer pilotage jobs to gig crews. A crew can expect to earn over £750 per run with the first gig to reach the vessel securing the job just like the ‘old days’. Given that we may service a dozen vessels each day you can see how this will become a significant revenue stream for any gig rowing crews involved.”

“Obviously there are some service limitations to using pilot gigs compared to modern all-weather transfer craft and disembarking the pilot on a bulk carrier towering over the gig is not for the faint hearted so only the best crews should contemplate this work.”

In time FPCo expects to purchase their own fleet of wooden gigs and be able to phase out the expensive diesel powered craft (shown in image).

If you have a crew in the Falmouth harbour area or are able to travel on demand to meet visiting ships (see http://www.landsendweather.info/ais) please register your interest by emailing avril.pool@fpco.org.uk

Old footage found :: Gig Racing

Old footage found :: Gig Racing

Old gig footage found.

This stunning footage has been found on YouTube. It mainly shows old lifeboat footage and other leisure activities, but there is some old footage of Gigs racing across the bay in Newquay.

The film is estimated to be post 1923, and it has recently been converted into digital format.

Gig Racing starts about 4 minutes in.

Ralph Bird :: Last Word

BBC Radio 4
The Last Word
Ralph Bird

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Ralph Bird's Funeral :: BBC Spotlight

Ralph Bird’s Funeral :: BBC Spotlight

In case you missed it here is the BBC Spotlight coverage from the very moving funeral service at Truro Cathedral yesterday when over 800 rowers, friends and family came together to bid farewell and pay their respects to the famous pilot gig builder Ralph Bird.

Thank you to David Barnicoat from Falmouth Gig Club for the pictures
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BBC Spotlight news feature on the funeral

Ralph Bird on BBC Video Nation

Download the Falmouth Packet article by David Barnicoat here as a PDF
Download The Times article here as a PDF

Heritage

Heritage

With some 140 gigs now on the circuit, and as we start to approach the end of the 2009 race season it’s sometimes easy to forget the amazing heritage and stories behind the boats we all enjoy. There’s good reason that the gigs have special bonds to the many towns and villages they represent. Here’s a picture of gig “Branch” tucked up safely on a mirror flat day between the bollards on the quay in St. Ives in 1923. The bollards remain but sadly Branch is long gone.

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Cornish Life Article :: July 1987

Cornish Life Article :: July 1987

Thank you to Anne CC for this article from ‘Cornish Life’ in 1987, a great read about Ralph Bird and some Pilot Gig history.

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