A NEW gig boat named in memory of the club’s inspirational founding member has been blessed with a splash of Guinness.

Penzance & Newlyn Pilot Gig Club (PNPGC) held a ceremony to officially bless their new boat on Saturday, March 1, with the help of Rev Rebecca Fugill, RNLI Penlee Lifeboat coxswain Patch Harvey and mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds.

Julie Saville, a passionate gig rower and hard-working professional was dedicated to helping individuals with special needs in the community. In 2022 she founded Penzance & Newlyn Pilot Gig Club with the aim of making gig rowing accessible to the local community regardless of age, gender or ability.

Tragically, in 2024, Julie died suddenly following knee surgery, devastating her family, friends, the gig rowing community, her professional colleagues at Cornwall Council and everyone who knew her.

Determined to keep Julie’s legacy alive, Penzance & Newlyn Pilot Gig Club set about fundraising to buy a gig boat and name it in her memory, ‘Myghternes an Morladron’ – Cornish for ‘Queen of the Pirates’.

With enough money raised and a new boat acquired from Ireland, that dream became a reality as the striking black and red gig was blessed on Saturday.

Before the blessing, Mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds addressed the club members gathered at Penzance Harbour, paying tribute to Julie Saville and hinting that he could be persuaded to try gig rowing one day – before quickly adding thanks to the assembled crew of Penlee Lifeboat for their selfless service.

Rev Rebecca Fugill then led the blessing of the gig boat, sprinkling the wooden hull with holy water and praying for her, and all who row in her.

With the gig coming from Ireland, it was also customary that the boat be blessed with a splash of Guinness, which fell upon Penlee Lifeboat coxswain Patch Harvey to pour, to the delight of the onlookers.