Welcome to SSRC's blog about our new Pilot Gig!

After some hard work by the Club, we have secured the funds towards purchasing the first new wooden gig for SSRC for 8 years from Canford Environmental Ltd and Entrust, the Regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund. A proportion has had to be raised by the Club with the familiar commitment by members to undergo all sorts of activities to achieve our goal but we are now able to go ahead with the project.

Maurice Hunkin

We are pleased to announce that Maurice Hunkin of Fowey in Cornwall has been commissioned to build our new gig.


In order to fulfil the conditions attached to the grant the club is looking for 6 young people aged 16 – 25 who live in Dorset (preferably Swanage) and who are unemployed to take part in a 10 day oar making course at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis to provide them with fresh skills and opportunity. An advert will be placed in the Swanage and Wareham Advertiser to that effect. The club has also made a commitment to increase the numbers of 16-25 year old who take up rowing; it was thought that accreditation to British Rowing’s ‘Explore Rowing’ scheme would be the best way to achieve this. In addition the club needs to provide 200 hours of youth volunteering for 16 – 25 year olds. A youth volunteering coordinator is needed to identify roles suitable within the club and to liaise with local volunteers.