Pembrokeshire's own 'Mini Tall Ship', a replica 18th Century warships' longboat, or gig, is to be launched at Goodwick tomorrow (Saturday) morning.

She has been under construction over the last four years at the Pembrokeshire College Marine Technology Centre at Milford Docks, as a joint college and community project.

She is a traditional gig of the type adopted by Atlantic Challenge International to provide inshore seamanship training for young people, in the same way as the Tall Ships races provide sea-going experience under sail for the young.

The impressive, 38-feet long craft is to be launched by Mrs. Jane Kerr, and will bear the name of her late husband.

John Kerr was a boatbuilder of national and international renown, who was responsible for the United Kingdom joining Atlantic Challenge International.

He built the UK national gig, Intégrité, and he devoted many hours to the construction of the Pembrokeshire vessel, the last gig he worked on before he died in 2001.

Following the launch, the gig will take part with other similar vessels from 12 nations in the 10th International Atlantic Challenge Contest of Seamanship at the Port of Fishguard (July 10-17).

Each nation is to be represented by a single gig, the UK entry, Intégrité, will have a crew of young men and women drawn from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Russian team have been unable to transport their gig from St. Petersburg, so it has been decided to lend them the Pembrokeshire gig for the contest, drawing on the links Pembrokeshire established in April, when the Russian tall ship 'Sedov' visited Milford Haven.

Members of the public are welcome to watch the launching ceremony at the watersports slipway at Goodwick.

The gig will be dressed overall, and after she has been named and blessed, the Red Ensign will be transferred to the 'courtesy flag' position and the Russian flag raised at the Ensign staff to signify the transfer to the Russian team.

Crews taking part in the contest from throughout the world will then carry the Gig, 'war canoe style' into the water.

Shortly after the launch, at 12-noon, it will be possible to watch the opening ceremony of the contest and parade of the competing teams, and the many vantage points around Fishguard Harbour will provide an excellent view of the competing gigs as they take part in the various seamanship events over the following seven days.

Throughout the contest, there will be free access to a maritime heritage exhibition, being staged alongside the contest of Seamanship by the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society.

Information on how members of the community can experience traditional sailing on Pembrokeshire's own gig will be available from the contest information stand, as well as details of all the facilities of the Marine Technology Centre of Pembrokeshire College where the new gig was built.

"The building of the 38-feet gig has been a wonderful, valuable learning tool for students," commented Pembrokeshire College lecturer, Richard Davies-Scourfield.

"Nearly 50 students have had the opportunity to practise traditional boat building techniques as part of the City and Guilds Yacht and Boat Building."

Second year student, Matt Elwell-Smith, from Gosporth, near Portsmouth, echoed his lecturer's comments and added: "The final two weeks of working on the gig have been especially thrilling and will serve me well when I continue my boat building career."