Dart Gig Club was formed in 1996, with the arrival of the club's first gig, Volante, in spring 1997.

The club has competed on the pilot gig circuit since then, with some success, notably the veteran men's crew winning in the World Pilot gig championships in the Isles of Scilly in 1999 in the then-brand-new gig Lightning.

Members have come and gone over the years, but the club has enabled many people to take part in what can be a very exciting sport.

Thousands of people over the south west have taken part, and do take part, in this ever spreading experience. Gig racing is a colourful and exciting spectator sport. The rowers train as hard as they can, both ashore and on the water, aspiring to be the best they can. Dart gig club has two GRP gigs for winter training and three wooden gigs for training and racing.

Racing starts in March and goes all the way through to Sep­tember. The club also has a section for im­provers and non-racing members, although there are few rowers who don't get bitten by the racing bug. Age is no barrier to participation.

The club is hoping to restart junior rowing shortly.

All this kit takes a lot of expense and the club are forever looking at ways to fund this – hence this year's 24-hour sponsored row. Members will be rowing in two-hour slots from 6pm on Friday, December 12, to 6pm on Saturday, December 13.