Celebrating 75 Years of Maurice Hunkin

On Saturday 4th February, Fowey Gig Club hosted a very special celebration, the 75th birthday of gig builder Maurice Hunkin.

Fowey Gig Club arranged a surprise gathering to celebrate Maurice’s long and illustrious career.

On the day, every club Maurice had built a gig for was invited to attend the special birthday celebration and take to the water for a day of racing.

The invite was rolled out to all the clubs that Maurice had built gigs for over the years. Gigs that attended the day were:

• Daedalus M Hunkin
• Mannacle Belle M Hunkin
• Will to Win M & L Hunkin
• Faith M & L Hunkin
• Pulpit Rock M & L Hunkin
• Defender M & L Hunkin
• Dagger M & LHunkin
• Keith Owen built by M & L Hunkin
• Troy M & L Hunkin
• Q built by L Hunkin
• Arrow built by L Hunkin
• Lightning built by L Hunkin
• Shellymaid built by Mand L Hunkin

Other gigs built by Maurice include the following;

• Lantic built by M Hunkin
• Winspit M & L Hunkin owned by Swanage
• Nipper built by L & M Hunkin owned by Barnstaple
• Templar built by L Hunkin and owned by Teign
• Cockleshell built by M & L Hunkin owned by Eastney ECA

How did it all start?

Maurice was commissioned to build Lantic, his first build in 2003, for Fowey gig club. Lantic is now in the safe hands of Torpoint gig club. Maurice was actively building gigs from the period of 2003 up to 2016. He then went on to assist in the building of gigs with his son Louis.

It was a tremendous display to see an array of Hunkin build boats in the water and a cracking day of racing on a mild and sunny River Fowey.

Thank you, Maurice, for all you’ve done for the sport over the years!

Thanks to Jo Zimber for supplying images