gig
A small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc.
gig: ship's tender, pulled or motored to shore
A gig is a light, narrow boat stowed aboard a larger vessel and lowered into the water when the ship needs to move personnel or small cargo to shore, to another ship, or to a mooring buoy. Historically the primary means of shuttling between vessel and land before reliable small-boat engines became standard, the gig remains in use on many ships, particularly those operating in remote anchorages or where modern tender infrastructure is absent.
The traditional gig is between 20 and 35 feet in length, with a narrow beam relative to its length, making it responsive to oars or sweep oars. The hull is typically open or partly open, though some gigs carry a small cabin forward. Modern gigs may be fitted with outboard or inboard diesel engines, but hand-pulled versions are still maintained on sailing ships and traditional vessels. The name likely derives from the light, nimble movement of the boat through water.
Distinction from other tenders
A gig differs from a lifeboat in that it is not a safety device but a working boat; it carries no self-righting mechanism and is launched and recovered on davits or by hand. It is narrower and more delicate than a launch, which is the ship's larger tender. On naval and passenger vessels, the gig has traditionally been reserved for officers, while crew used the cutter or jolly boat. This distinction is less rigid on modern commercial ships.
Handling a gig demands skill in tight seas. The narrow hull, while quick, offers less stability than a wider tender and can swamp in rough conditions if overloaded or poorly trimmed. Crew assigned to gig duty must know how to secure oars, row in formation, and recover the boat quickly when recalled. On ships operating far from safe anchorages, the gig may be the only reliable way to put personnel ashore, making its seaworthiness a genuine operational concern.
The term is used less frequently on container ships and bulk carriers, where modern tenders tend to be rigid inflatables or larger motorized boats. However, the gig remains standard on many naval vessels, survey ships, and vessels serving remote research stations or island communities where conventional port facilities do not exist.