Another one i built earlier1

Here is the four oared Gig Dauntless, originally she was an 18ft Skiff from Hanningfield reservoir. Back in 2003 I & a bunch of like minded individuals started a rowing club, this was Lower thames Rc, As Chairman the need for a boat was rather pressing, so the most beat up of the 18 footers was extended at the stern.
She was now 21ft long and we just managed to cram four oars on her though she was very cramped for the rowers. We raced her at Heybridge Row 4 a reason & won our class but it was apparent that she was really too heavy to be succesful.

Dauntless nearly completed, new midsection in grey..

In 2005 i took her into our front garden (at the time a building site)& sawed her in half, She was pulled apart 5ft & am mdf mould for the midsection planked up.
While i was at it all the heavy grp floor, thwarts & gunwales were removed.
With cost an over riding consideration the gunwales were made from 3/4 x 1 1/2 tanalised roofing batten. Cheap, strong & rotproof!
The pine thwarts came out of the building site skip.
Despite now being 26ft long she was in fact 200lds lighter & was transformed into a very usable & nice to row four oared Gig.

Re Launch day 2005

A year later i built another cut & shut Proud mary in Dauntless boatyard shed.
The Great river race organisers not quite sure what they were called them "Hanningfield hybrid Gigs".
Despite their unconventional even lowly origins they have served well for over ten years now & clocked up a huge number of miles.