Pilot gig "Nornour" ashore on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, UK. The mast is an unusual addition to the gig
Pilot gigs are primarily used these days for inter-island racing, though they were originally built in Cornwall in the 18th Century. Their original purpose was to take the pilot out to the sailing ships. They were used as many of the harbours were too small for the ships to anchor. It was essential for the gig owner to build a boat that would be fast on the Cornish waves. Whichever gig reached the anchored ship first received the money for the job. Gigs have also been used in smuggling, and as lifeboats. When a new gig was built it was tested against opposition boats to find out how fast it was. It was only a matter of time before these impromptu races were replaced with official fixtures, and so pilot gig racing was born.
Size: 3396px × 5072px
Location: St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, UK
Photo credit: © Paul Mellor / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: beach, boat, clear, coast, cornwall, gig, isles, marine, maritime, mast, nautical, nornour, pilot, row, sail, sand, scilly, sea, seashore, seaside, shore, shoreline, sun, translucent, transparent, travel, turquoise, uk, water
