I've tried to ignore this thread but I'm really truly bored this evening and I might as well set you all straight. A gig is a ship's boat, more specifically "a light, narrow ship's boat, built for speed, originally clinker-built but within more recent years frequently of carvel construction, rowing four or six oars single-banked." In sea novels there's frequent references to the "Captain's gig."

Then, of course, we're all aware of Washington State's famous Gig Harbor on Puget Sound. I even stopped there a few years back to see if I could get booked. The only venue was the police station and I declined their offer.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble