This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Cyr~enwiki (talk | contribs) at 09:46, 17 May 2005 (correct mistakes (gigs are 32 foot long, crew of 6 and have never been motorised), Scilly is also not north of Land's End, its SSW.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 09:46, 17 May 2005 by Cyr~enwiki (talk | contribs) (correct mistakes (gigs are 32 foot long, crew of 6 and have never been motorised), Scilly is also not north of Land's End, its SSW.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Note: This article is rather outdated and contained many factural inaccuracies, I've updated the errors that I can see, but it could do with being updated and put in a more modern context. This is on my to-do list!
Gig racing is a lively tradition in the isolated archipelago of the Isles of Scilly, 40 km South South West of Land's End, England. Gigs are slender, narrow, 32-foot-long boats which are powered by a rowing crew of 6 plus 1 cox. Pilot duties and salvage from shipwrecks were important sources of income in the 19th century. By maritime custom, the first pilot to reach a ship was hired, and the first crew to reach a wreck could claim it and all salvageable valuables as their own. The income of a gig crew depended therefore critically on their ability to outspeed competitors and to navigate the treacherous waters of the archipelago in any weather.