Pilot Gigs are 32 foot long rowing boats, built from Cornish elm. They are crewed by six rowers, and a coxswain, and have a long history.The first Gigs dated back to the late 18th century, and were built to carry local Pilots out to sailing ships waiting off the Cornish coast.In later years they were used as lifeboats and by smugglers because of their speed and sturdiness. When a Gig was built it was raced against other gigs to test it's performance, and so the sport of Gig racing was born. All Gigs constructed today are built following original specifications laid down by the Peters family in the form of the Gig Treffry, built in 1838 and still being raced today by the Newquay Rowing Club.     The Cornish Pilot Gig Association; the CPGA; was formed in 1987 in order to regulate the sport, and thus maintain it's traditions and heritage. It now has over 50 member clubs