Pilot Gigs
Pilot Gig Endeavor at the falls in Vergennes, VT.
Our fleet of eight pilot gigs is berthed in several locations. These gigs are working vessels, and are seasonally housed in Burlington, Basin Harbor, and Vergennes, on Otter Creek. The latest gig is Firefly, built this spring by students from the Diversified Occupations program from the Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury, and Catamonts Program at Mount Abraham in Bristol, VT.
Brief History of Pilot Gigs
The Champlain Longboats program has chosen to build and row two styles of rowing gigs, the 32' six-oared Cornish pilot gig and the 25' , four oared Whitehall style gig because of their inherent seaworthiness and because they are a joy to row.
The 32' Cornish gig, developed in the early 1800s has its roots in the Scilly Isles, 40 miles off of the coast of Cornwall, England. The boats were used to transport the local pilot to incoming sailing vessels and needed to be both fast and seaworthy as the first boat to reach the ship offshore got the job of guiding the vessel through the treacherous shoals in that area. These boats were multi-purpose and were used as rescue boats, freight carriers among the islands and to smuggle contraband across the English Channel. This magnificent design is actively raced in Europe today and has been adopted by many youth and adult rowing programs around the United States.
The 25' Whitehall style gig is a lengthened version of the Whitehall type livery boat used extensively in New York harbor in the 1800s to ferry goods and people amongst the fleet of vessels anchored in the harbor. These boats are reputed to be some of the fastest, most elegant and seaworthy coastal rowing boats of that era. The lines for our 25' Whitehall style gig were drawn by Mike McEvoy of Greenwich, New York and are used by youth and adult rowing programs all over the east coast.
Building the Pilot Gigs
Students come to the LCMM boat-shop and classroom five days a week for 6 months to build one rowing gig and learn to row as a team. Students gain hands-on vocational skills, while exploring a curriculum that weaves science, history, English, and math around the boat building project. Students keep journals, research and make presentations on related topics and participate in a series of curriculum related tests throughout the boat building process. The power of teamwork, mutual respect, and positive work ethic are critical life skills that are at the core of Champlain Longboats.
Huge turnout for the James Wakefield Row 2008
On Saturday October 11th, 2008, 120 youth representing eighteen rowing teams from ten schools from Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine participated in this year’s annual youth rowing event on the Burlington waterfront sponsored by The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. The race is named after James Wakefield who was responsible for the courageous rescue of the passengers and crew of The Canal Schooner General Butler on December 9th 1876 after it crashed into the Burlington breakwater during a fierce winter gale.
“Tossing the oars”, a salute to fellow competitors
at the finish line of the James Wakefield Rescue Row 2008
Eight races were held using the Maritime Museum’s fleet of nine, twenty-five and thirty-two foot rowing boats built by area youth in the museum’s Champlain Longboats program
All teams participated in two combined time races followed by the mess-about where all crews are mixed together randomly for a final race. The mess-about is designed to celebrate a healthy balance between competition and collaboration.
In the combined time event Vergennes High School placed first in the experienced division followed by Vinalhaven , Maine and North Haven, Maine. In the novice division Burlington placed first followed by Middlebury and Champlain Valley Union High School.
Pulling hard at the start of the half mile sprint
at the James Wakefield Rescue Row 2008
It was a spectacular day and all of the 120 rowers rowed with heart and were honored with certificates of appreciation.
See more images from the Burlington Free Press.
Pilot Gig Kittery Overhauled Summer 2006
Kittery undergoing repairs this summer.
Youth rowing programs in Hull, ME.
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum led by talented boatbuilder Lianna Tennel spent two months this summer rebuilding the 32' pilot gig Kittery for the Hull Lifesaving Museum of Hull, Massachusetts. Kittery is used extensively in youth rowing programs in Hull. Three full planks and two partial planks were replaced on both the port and starboard side as well as 24 ribs replaced. We want to thank volunteers Jon Woodbury and Don Dewees for all the time they gave to this project working alongside Lianna.