Founded in 2018, the Lewes Pilot Gig Club is bringing the joy of traditional gig boat rowing to the Lewes area.

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Gig rowing is a heart-thumping, arm-aching team of six rowers and a coxswain working in unison to row a 32 foot elm-built boat through the waters of seas and rivers. Originating in Cornwall, gig rowing is a tradition of British island life where boats raced to deliver their pilot sailors out to the tall ships that sailed the perilous, rocky waters of the Isles of Scilly. Today pilot gig rowing is a modern racing sport and growing leisure activity, enjoyed around the world, with the World Championships held in the Isles of Scilly each year.

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The Lewes Pilot Gig Club is a new venture, offering a welcoming and accessible club for complete beginners to fanatical rowers. For men and women who want to take part in relaxed rowing for fun, who are looking for a natural, exhilarating way to get fit, or who have the ambition to train seriously to competition level. Our aim is to get the people of Lewes out on the water, reviving some of our water-faring heritage, the connection to our landscape and providing a friendly club for people to meet and work together as a real team. 

 

BBC South East did a lovely film on us and our mighty ambitions. Watch it here and whet your Gig Rowing appetite.