The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, built of Cornish narrow leaf elm, 32 feet long with a beam of four feet ten inches.

It is recognised as one of the first shore based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.

The original purpose of the Cornish pilot gig was as a general work boat, and the craft is used for taking pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic. In those days the first gig to get their pilot on board a vessel got the job, the others would go hungry.

Today, the situation has changed, with Clubs being formed for the purpose of racing against one another om a circuit which now numbers 42 Clubs.

All modern gigs are based on the "Treffry", built in 1838 by William Peters of St. Mawes, and still owned and raced by the Newquay Rowing Club.

The sport is governed by the Cornish Pilot Gig Association, which monitors all gigs during the construction phase. The Association's Standards Officer is responsible for measuring every gig at least three times during construction, to ensure that it conforms to the Standard set by the Association.

The 100th gig, built for the Bude Gig Club by Ralph Bird was launched during the summer of 2004.