THINK fixed-seat rowing in Cornwall and the Pilot Gigs immediately spring to mind. But what is not widely appreciated is the fact that the tsunami of enthusiasm for the gigs was triggered by the all-encompassing success of the Cornwall Rowing Association (CRA) in the 1960s and early ‘70s.

That august body is still going strong (admittedly, playing second fiddle to the gigs in terms of numbers these days), and celebrate an impressive milestone next month: the association will host its 75th anniversary regatta on Saturday, June 13, with a special 15ft skiff event on the Truro River at Boscawen Park.

Originally formed in 1951, the Cornish Rowing Association (CRA) has classes for 18ft flashboats as well as the skiffs. The wooden flashboats, clinker-built (meaning they have planks of timber overlapping), were rowed by four people and a coxswain while the wooden skiffs, carvel built (with smooth hulls), accommodated a crew of three and no cox.

Both class of rowing boats were built to a strict single design, and at weekend regattas throughout Cornwall (and also at times across the Tamar border), there were competitions for men, women and age groups from 14- to 18-year-olds.

To mark the anniversary, the CRA is bringing together as many 15ft Cornish skiffs as possible. “Whether your skiff is afloat or ashore, we’d be delighted to have it there,” said CRA spokesman Chris Baker.

“For those that do float, we will be holding a procession on the river as part of the celebrations. This anniversary offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase these boats, their craftsmanship, and the community that supports them.”

The design of the skiff was inspired by the traditional Fal oyster punts while the flashboats, often named ‘watermen’s boats’, had their roots in East Cornwall river salmon fishing as well as transporting cargo and people across the border into Devon.

But, as ever when people are involved, competition was not far away, and the various boat owners were soon eager to prove that their craft were faster than those of their colleagues.

This rivalry is believed to have led to the well-known Calstock boatbuilder James Goss creating a much lighter, finer and faster rowing boat in the 1920s, which was dubbed a ‘flash boat’ by traditionalists … and, of course, the name inevitably stuck.

By 1951, the two types of boat, by now being raced regularly throughout the county, were united in competition with the formation of the CRA. Its heydays was undoubtedly in the 1960s and early ‘70s, but even in the 21st century there remains a full programme of weekend regattas, and next month’s anniversary meeting will be one of the biggest.

On June 13, after the action on the water, there will be a reception at the nearby Scout Hut where people will encouraged to reminisce about the glory days of the ‘proper’ Cornish rowing.

For further information about the event and the CRA, please call Chris Baker on 07955 090122.