There was something a little different in attendance at this year’s Swallows & Amazons – ‘the gig with the rig’.
This was ‘Defiance’, our 24ft wooden Harker’s Yard gig, built by the apprentices of Pioneer Sailing Trust in Brightlingsea, Essex, but sporting a sprit rig in addition to her four sturdy Collars oars. Acquired from another OGA member a few years ago (thanks Alasdair) with the goal of adding sail to oar (especially for longer adventure rows), we needed a suitable ‘proving ground’ and I could think of none better than Swallows & Amazons, having taking part in my own boat (Catsnip) a few years prior.
With our entry accepted, I challenged a qualified group of our rowers that included sailors, a boatbuilder and even a traditional rigger, to see what might be possible. Before long a mast base was fashioned, plus a clamp for the thwart and three supporting stays spliced to the mast. But could ‘Defiance’ sail? We set about finding out with three eager crews signed up for Swallows & Amazons, and boy were we surprised! Weighing no more than an oar, everything (mast, sprit and sail) was deployable (or removable) in a matter of seconds thanks to the addition of a brail line and removable stays. Our existing thole pins doubled up as belay pins for controlling the sheet.
Off the wind, and even on a close reach ‘Defiance’ glided along just fine under sail alone, with a surprisingly balanced helm – carrying us to seal-filled creeks on Day 1 and across the Wade as part of circumnavigation of Horsey Island on Day 2. When faced with an inevitable headwind, we simply dropped the rig to reduce windage and jumped back on the oars. On the final day, the wind was up and, despite an incoming tide, we saw 5.6kts over the ground as we reached down the Twizzle in the company of others.
Verdict? Another fabulous Swallows & Amazons and a resounding success for ‘the gig with a rig’. Some of our rowers sailed for the first time and talk of tweaks and improvements have already begun. There’s a keen desire to return next year for more sail and oar adventures.
Words, photos and video: Daniel Stoker
East Coast OGA member & current chair of Wivenhoe Corsairs Community Rowing (and now sailing) Club
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