coracle making
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About 10 years ago I went on a 1 day course basket making at Ware in Herts.. The instructor said that she had run coracle making courses. From what she said, making a coracle was a lot of work and took a few days.
I found making a basket hard work on my fingers, but I guess that if you do it enough you strengthen up.
Jim
I found making a basket hard work on my fingers, but I guess that if you do it enough you strengthen up.
Jim
Not yet but I mean to have a go this summer. I saw plenty of coracles in displays down in Ironbridge this year.
Cheers,
Steve
Cheers,
Steve
I was tempted to go on one of Terry kenny's(?)coracle making course a while ago..Its a two day course.First day is making it from ash laths,second day is covering it,painting it with pitch and a paddle!
Ive got some instructions somewhare.Also i could only get ash laths in bulk because the sawmill doesnt do small runs..
Id imagine one made from willow or hazel would be fairly easy and traditional.
As with many things,its on my list of things to make/do!
Ive got some instructions somewhare.Also i could only get ash laths in bulk because the sawmill doesnt do small runs..
Id imagine one made from willow or hazel would be fairly easy and traditional.
As with many things,its on my list of things to make/do!
love to have a go at making one or take some instruction. Apprently each river has its own local design.
Took some pictures of the ones whilst on a paddle this weekend near cardigan.
Seen here
http://www.freewebs.com/swbwebwoods/apps/photos/photo?photoid=40807092
Took some pictures of the ones whilst on a paddle this weekend near cardigan.
Seen here
http://www.freewebs.com/swbwebwoods/apps/photos/photo?photoid=40807092
The old boy we met at the bridge not only paddled a corracle across to France but used to be the leading Teifi corracle maker!
The Corracle Museum in Cenarth Carmarthenshire (sorry - I do not know the post code) might be able to help all corracle builders...they may even have a web site.... www.coraclemuseum.co.uk ... some good photos ....and books for sale!
The Corracle Museum in Cenarth Carmarthenshire (sorry - I do not know the post code) might be able to help all corracle builders...they may even have a web site.... www.coraclemuseum.co.uk ... some good photos ....and books for sale!
Hi
I posted pictures of my coracle on here some time ago. I made it using sone plans and ash laths purchased from Terry Kenny. I have just ordered a net and intend to fish with the coracle in and aroun. Lymington harbour. I will try a dig the links out for the photo album but have a look at threads I have started and see if it's there.
Coracles are really easy to make but different styles suit different purposes.
Nigel
I posted pictures of my coracle on here some time ago. I made it using sone plans and ash laths purchased from Terry Kenny. I have just ordered a net and intend to fish with the coracle in and aroun. Lymington harbour. I will try a dig the links out for the photo album but have a look at threads I have started and see if it's there.
Coracles are really easy to make but different styles suit different purposes.
Nigel
You could easily subsitute the ash for ply. If you google terry kenny or try to contact through the greenwood trust I am sure he would sell you some plans.
Have a search about in the net cause some coracle are really not suitable for use on large bodies if water!!
Have a search about in the net cause some coracle are really not suitable for use on large bodies if water!!
noooooo!!!! Don't tempt me....I have been interested in getting into canoeing, but this corcale making is tempting.... I suppose I could use my 90% finished primitive bow as a padddle
Interesting information from nigelp and Dark Horse Dave.
That's an excellent price for a coracle making course!! The materials alone would come close to that if you did you own!
the coracle museum at cenarth is well worth a visit, as well as displaying coracles from different countries (including huge vietnamese coracles still in common use today over there) there is an interesting display of the nets used for fishing from coracles, the traditional materials used are fascinating, plans for making different coracles can be bought from the museum and when i was there the man seemingly in charge (Martin Fowler) was most helpful to talk to. There is a good book with detailed descriptions of various coracles and construction including the making of nets for coracle fishing called ''Coracles and Nets by Geraint Jenkins'' (maybe the reverse title as ''Nets & Coracles''), there is loads of courses on making them but some are a little expensive, places like Greenwood Centre Ironbridge & Arrow Valley centre Redditch do courses, however a little patience and they are easily made from home from a decent plan, ash/willow are best materials, the thickness of ash is important as to the ability to bend after soaking, too thick dificult to bend too thin can split, an interesting conversation at cenarth museum i was told how the american indians used to leave the fur on their skins and cover coracles with the fur on the outside as the natural lay of the fur helped with control of the coracle (water gliding over with the natural lay but slowing coracle when going against the natural lay of fur), most coracles made with hide tend to have the fur/hair removed, however most coracles made today simply use bitumen coated cotton, another useful site for info is Conwy Richards site here is the link http://www.coracle-fishing.net/
Google 'Coracle Building' and 'Coracle Making', it produced a large amount of websites, far too many to list here.
Good luck, and enjoy the sourcing of materials, building and paddling.
Good luck, and enjoy the sourcing of materials, building and paddling.
At the National Forest Wood Fair (August Bank Holidays) the last couple of years I've seen a chap who runs coracle making courses, he brings a couple along and sets up a large 'paddling pool' so you can have a go at paddling one.
It's aimed more for the kids, but I HAD to take my 3 year old on for a ride last year, I didn't enjoy it really - honest
I'm sure he'll be there again this year.
It's aimed more for the kids, but I HAD to take my 3 year old on for a ride last year, I didn't enjoy it really - honest
I'm sure he'll be there again this year.
I have been looking around. I visited the Greenwood Centre in Ironbridge http://www.greenwoodcentre.org.uk/index.htm . They do courses at ~£295 +£50 for materials. It sounds a lot but I guess a 'Detox Weekend" at a health spa would cost the same if you were that way inclined. Personally I am going to just throw myself in to it
They did have a number of coracles on display in the barn so I was able to have a close-up look at them.
I quite like the look of this site for some clear instructions/build pics using plywood strips:
http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/coracle/coracle.htm
Also I notice that Screwfix sent me a flyer for some bitumenous paint for £9 per large can (can't see it on their website though).
Cheers,
Steve
They did have a number of coracles on display in the barn so I was able to have a close-up look at them.
I quite like the look of this site for some clear instructions/build pics using plywood strips:
http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/coracle/coracle.htm
Also I notice that Screwfix sent me a flyer for some bitumenous paint for £9 per large can (can't see it on their website though).
Cheers,
Steve
I notice that all this information is about building the frame of the coracle out of thin strips of wood. I much prefer building it out of willow withies.
You just stick them into the ground in an oval, and then weave a basket with them. You bend them over to make the bowl. Then you lever your basket out of the ground, tidy up the rim, and stretch calico tightly over it, and stitch it in place.
Then you tar the calico, and put in your seat/fish stall.
Couple of days work. Great fun.
You just stick them into the ground in an oval, and then weave a basket with them. You bend them over to make the bowl. Then you lever your basket out of the ground, tidy up the rim, and stretch calico tightly over it, and stitch it in place.
Then you tar the calico, and put in your seat/fish stall.
Couple of days work. Great fun.
Hi again, thanks for all the helpful advice. I have obtained a book from Sean Hellman (www.seanhellman.com)in which he describes the technique for making a coracle using ash laths. I will follow his basic plan but using split chestnut which I can 'obtain' locally for free. Will take pix and post in due course.
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