The Gilpin takes to the waves

The Gilpin takes to the waves

10 December 2014

THE boat-builders of Portaferry have completed their skiff as part of the Strangford Lough and Lecale rowing challenge.

Gilpin, as the skiff has been named, was launched at the weekend and is the seventh St. Ayles Skiff launched as part of a community and tourism initiative designed to bring together village communities around Strangford Lough and Lecale.

Races took place in September between several other skiffs which were completed quicker but the Portaferry team continued to build and their skiff is now ready to compete in next year’s races.

Mrs. Eveleigh Brownlow, President of Portaferry RNLI, launched the boat from the old slipway.

The members of the Portaferry team wanted to pick a name that had local significance and related to the sea. Gilpin is a local name given to a young Coley, a fish which comes from the cod family.  Coley is sometimes known as ‘poor man’s cod’. 

They were of no commercial value and over the years were used to bait lobster pots or for filling the dinner plate when nothing else was available. Local people who were born along the southern half of the shore in Portaferry were called Gilpins because of their dependency on this little fish.  

Leonard Lawson, who has been involved with this project from its inception, said he is delighted that the community of Portaferry has completed the skiff. 

“It has been a long haul but entirely worth all the effort,” he said. “We is looking forward to Portaferry competing with the other communities around Strangford Lough, Lecale, the Ards, Scotland and beyond.  

“This is a great opportunity for local people, especially our youth, to get reconnected with the sea, something that sadly has started to disappear over the past few decades”.

John McAlea, who led the team, is proud of all the work carried out and he thanked everyone involved.  He also singled out Paul McKenna for special thanks.  

“Without Paul’s tenacity, devotion and hard work the boat would never have been completed,” said John.

So far boats have been completed in Ardglass, Killyleagh, Kircubbin, Dundrum, Strangford, Donaghadee, and now Portaferry. Ballywalter and Portavogie had a later start which means there is still time for people in those communities to get involved in the build and to see the boats taking shape over the coming month or two.   

Support between communities involved in the project has so far been inspiring, with advice and build materials being willingly shared. From now on however the rowing teams will be stirring up the competitive spirit and will be hoping to hold racing events as often as is possible.  

Anyone interested can find out more about the project and the Down Coastal Rowing Club from Susan McClay at the SLLP office in Portaferry. Tel: 028 4272 8886 or mail susan.mcclay@strangfordlough.org  The website is  www.down
coastalrowing.org.   Facebook: downcoastalrowing. This is a great opportunity to get involved take up a new activity and meet people in your community.