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John Ruskin observed that the bow of a wooden boat is ‘the pinnacle of Man's achievement’. He appreciated that the some of our most beautiful and effective creations are not designed as such but evolve to fulfil their task in their place, according to the history and affections of the people who use them. Some are scarcely noticed - because they are not buildings but boats, built to do jobs. In this series of The Essay five writers, each personally involved with their craft, circumnavigate the British Isles in five traditional boats – without leaving home.

Annamaria Murphy, whose work is familiar to listeners from Curious Under the Stars and In Search of the Severn Serpent, writes about the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Pilot Gig, the elegant six oared rowing boat that sped out to ships in the Southwest Approaches, to get their pilot aboard, and so get paid, and to trade (they could outpace the Revenue cutters). They also, as recently as the 1950s, saved lives, rescuing people in distress.

The oldest rowing boat in the world that is still used is a pilot gig, the Newquay, built in 1812. Today gig racing has become the national sport of the Cornish and Scillonians; almost every coastal village has a gig club. Annamaria Murphy is a keen rower based in Newlyn. Gigs have been rowed around the coast of Cornwall, are sometimes rowed from the mainland to the Isles of Scilly and even across to Brittany.

Presenter: Annamaria Murphy
Producer: Julian May