Sarah Price and Polly Schafer, the founders of Brading Haven Gig Rowers Bembridge, which is part of Brading Haven Yacht Club, received the very best Christmas present they could wish for. The two had entered a competition that Swanage Sea Rowing Club were running, to be the lucky beneficiaries of a beautiful wooden gig, ‘Old Harry’.
Swanage Sea Rowing Club (SSRC), had decided that they wanted to give one of their wooden gigs ‘Old Harry,’ that had been in storage for 3 years, to a gig club that was in development and could benefit from having the gig.
Old Harry was SSRC’s first gig. Swanage Trustees invited clubs from around the UK to apply with the potential of being gifted the much-loved boat. The Swanage Trustees determined that Brading Haven Gig Rowers Bembridge made the best application and gave the club the great news.
“We were absolutely over the moon and so excited to receive this incredible gift”. As a new gig club that began only 18 months ago at Brading Haven Yacht Club, to have our very own gig gifted to us so early in our development is amazing. The club has gone from strength to strength, with 40 members of all ages enjoying this fantastic and inclusive sport on the water”, says Sarah Price and Polly Schafer, joint founders of Brading Haven Gig Rowers Bembridge.
The name of Old Harry will remain with Swanage Rowing Club so the gig will be renamed and rebranded very soon. She was built in 2001 by Alan Hangar at his workshop in Weymouth Quay and cost Swanage Sea Rowing Club around £10,000 to purchase her. A highlight of the Old Harry’s career to date is a Swanage women’s crew finishing 14th in her at the World Pilot Gig Championships back in 2006.
Photo credit: Brading Haven Gig Rowers Bembridge
Chair of Swanage Sea Rowing Club (SSRC), Adrian Charters, along with another club member delivered the new gift to Brading Haven Gig Rowers on a trailer from Swanage to Bembridge, Isle of Wight; “After a clean up the day before she was delivered safely to her new home in Bembridge. As part of the celebration, we launched her at Brading Haven Yacht Club. Despite having sat in a barn for 3 years she rowed like a dream and we took her for a 6km row around the forts and then back to the club for a warm welcome and celebration. We are absolutely delighted that she has gone to such a good home and that she will be used daily by Brading Haven Gig Rowers. Old Harry will be sadly missed, but it was important to support another new club and have her used regularly again.”
“One of the many exciting parts of winning this beautiful gig is that she also has the benefit of all her original sails, which is how gigs used to be built,” says Sarah and Polly. “For a yacht club, what could be better, to have a gig our rowers can enjoy and our sailors can try too.”
Photo credit: Brading Haven Gig Rowers Bembridge
“We are looking forward to lots of exciting plans for gig rowing in Bembridge this year, collaborating closely with our friends at Yarmouth Gig Rowing on the Isle of Wight and clubs like Langstone and Swanage who have been incredibly supportive. Our thanks also go to all our volunteers who helped get her in the water and are now taking care of her. Gig rowing is a fantastic, community-focused activity for all ages and brings people together for fun on the water,” conclude Sarah and Polly.
We are really looking forward to following Old Harry’s journey as she brings so much opportunity to a new community!
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