FAQ

Gigs have rowed out of coastal communities for hundreds of years. Originally they were the local boats in Cornwall. Our gig, Amelie, is a working replica of a boat that is 170 years old and still in use. They were originally used as pilot craft that brought in other visiting boats and helped them navigate shallow waters. They would race to the incoming vessel as the first there got the job, so racing was part of the culture from the off. In Cornwall the tradition is strong and there are many clubs. We are the most Easterly gig club in the UK, although wooden clinker boats are part of the heritage of this area and we are delighted to be reviving an old tradition.

All potential rowers must fill in a PARQ Form and have this approved by one of the coxes before booking onto a row to ensure your safety. If you do have any health issues we will work with you and do our best to get you out rowing.

Each row consists of 1 Cox and 6 Rowers; there is also a seat in the bow (we all it lazy bow) for an extra person to come along.

We’re a friendly, inclusive club and we encourage any age and ability to give rowing a go — whether you’re brand new to the water or returning after a break. Our members come from all walks of life and all age rangers from around 20 to 85 so everyone is welcome. There is no excuse 😉

As well as being a great way to keep active, our open rows have a strong social side too.

When you row you be looked after by our coxes, who are all trained to British Rowing standards. They’re there to guide you, teach you good technique, and make sure every row is safe, supportive, and enjoyable.

Also, to top it off, we have regular social meet ups including a good old club quiz night so its a great way to make friends too. 🤗

If you're reading this and have specific skills that you can already see would help us, please get in touch with any committee member or talk to the cox on your next row. If you're the type that just loves to lend a hand and can't fit a specific skill to a task right now, get in touch too. We need people with all kinds of skills and experience.

Between our members is a significant and diverse range of fundraising experience; some in the corporate arena, some statutory and some charitable.

In the earlier days we managed to raise enough money to buy our life jackets and radios with some help from Veolia and many other items were donated by individuals.

We have since, in 2018, achieved charitable status which has opened up many more funding opportunities for us as a club.

The simple answer is that we need to cover our costs. The club is run solely by volunteers so there is no cost for peoples' time but we do need to pay for things like mooring fees, gig and equipment maintenance, life jackets, radios, first aid training, to name a few. The funds also provide the opportunity to train new coxes so your membership fee helps towards building a better rowing club for everyone.

If you want to be part of something special in the community and help the club grow by offering a financial support, please feel free to contact us by email and one of our team will be happy to get in touch.

Or if you can support with time please contact our Fundraising team  - fundraising@ngrc.co.uk

We have a committee that meets monthly and a treasurer that is responsible for all the club's finances. We agree on spending in each committee meeting and since achieving charitable status, there are a range of protections and requirements that it is necessary we meet.