Rowing is seen as a posh sport. It’s seen as a public school sport. For the privileged and the few. So why wouldn’t have its own special tool? Welcome to the Rigger Jigger.

No ordinary tool the rigger jigger. 10mm round spanner on end and a 13mm spanner at the other. Each spanner is off set so that it can be gripped easily against the surface of the rowing boat.

Apparently the rigger jigger is used for taking off the riggers. This is the triangular metal tubing which extends outwards from the hull of the boat. The rigger holds the gate which the oar goes into. Why take off the riggers? To put the boat on a trailer and travel far and wide and race against other people with rigger jiggers. The rowing boat looks narrow and skinny. But with the oars extended on both sides. It makes it tricky to steer and difficult to pass on a narrow bit of river.

The rigger jigger can also be used to adjust the foot plate to accommodate a different height of person. But here’s the thing. Its not the same size as the rigger bolts so that’s why there are 2 size spanners on the same tool. Carry around two spanners? Not for the modern rower. Two spanner sizes have to be on the same tool!

Rowing in the UK has taken off becoming a popular sport on the back of Pinsett/Redgrave a pair of Olympian champions and the ever successful rowing teams in the Rio Olympics 2016. Men and Women.
But it has a dark history of class prejudice and discrimination.
Welcome to the world of the Rigger Jigger.

Copyright Adrian Scott North London Counsellor Blog 2016
All rights reserved
Disclaimer:This weblog is the view of the writer and for general information only.
This article is designed to provoke argument and critique