Lyme Regis Gig Club have announced that they are planning on building a brand new Cornish Pilot Gig with the Lyme Regis based Boat Building Academy. The boat is being commissioned and built by Rob Hounslow, a member of the Gig Club, current men’s co-captain and a lecturer at the prestigious Boat Building Academy in Lyme.
Rob Hounslow
“We expect to start work in June, this year, and to have the boat ready for the 2024 World Gig Rowing Championships in the Isles of Scilly”, said Rob.
He continued, “The new gig will continue a tradition of having all the Lyme Regis boats built in Lyme Regis itself. I’m very honoured to be able to maintain this tradition. To enable our continued success, we need to maintain our fleet of gigs and this initiative will add a new purpose-built Cornish Pilot Gig to our fleet”.
The three existing wooden gigs, Rebel, Black Ven and Tempest, were all built in Lyme Regis by local boat builder, Gail McGarva. These form part of the Club’s heritage and the expansion of the fleet will provide more opportunities for all crews.
Lyme Regis are coming off a successful 2022 season, with both men’s and women’s crews placing highly in last year’s championships and at regattas through the South West.
Marcus Dixon, Club Chairman said: “As a club, we are continuing to grow. There are more people than ever participating in gig rowing and thanks to our members we are able to provide opportunities to learn rowing, keep fit and then competitively or socially row. We are hoping to develop the club at all levels from juniors, beginners, domestic racing and competing at the World Pilot Gig Championships. To have this built in Lyme and the boat being Rob’s first Cornish Pilot Gig is something the club are delighted to be part of”.
Will Reed
Will Reed, Principal at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis said: “We are very excited that the Gig Club have commissioned their new boat and thrilled that they are building it in the Boat Building Academy workshops. This is an important collaboration with the club, allowing students to learn new skills and be involved with a significant build”.
The Club is committing to raising the remaining money required for the build and a large fundraising effort is underway. The build will be documented on the Club’s Social Media channels.
The Club is also exploring a number of innovative ways to raise the funds. There are many ways people can support this exciting project alongside the wider community, local businesses, and Lyme Regis town council. To find out more about the club and their activities visit: http://www.lymeregisgigclub.com/
Photo credit: Bruce Kahn
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