My new coracle

[torjusg]

I just finished my coracle today. It is made of rowan and bird cherry saplings and the skin is an elk (moose) hide. Only drying and testing ( ) it left. The coracle is made with stone tools only.

In the picture it is elevated in some trees to dry, hopefully away from dogs and other vermin.

 

[JonnyP]

Thats superb Torjus.......Like to see a photo of you in it paddling now.......

 

[Stuart]

very impressive torjusg :You_Rock_

did you get enough pictures of its construction to write up a tutorial?

 

[torjusg]

Thanks guys

Stuart

I have enough photos for an article. There won't be detail of every single operation, but at least of the critical ones.

 

[PatrickM]

Great bit of Bushcraft there Mr Gaaren

 

[Snufkin]

Looks really good, looking forward to more pics and the tutorial. :You_Rock_

 

[Brian]

That looks great torjusg,
I look forward to reading your tutorial mate, when are you going to try it out mate

Brian

 

[Seagull]

Thats a very swish-looking craft, well done!

Ceeg

 

[Tengu]

Its a lovley boat.

is there much of a history of skin boats in scandanavia?

 

[torjusg]

Thanks all

The hide will have to dry out first, with this weather, that may take a while. I hope that it will be ready within two weeks or so. Can't wait

Tengu

I don't know if there is any history of the coracle in Norway, neither do I know of skin boats. But it seems highly likely that it was common at least before the land was dressed with bigger trees after the ice age. There wouldn't have been much else to use then. Some of the rock carvings in Norway are interpreted as skin boats.

 

[jojo]

super little boat :You_Rock_ How big is she and is the hair still on the skin? What did you use to tie the skin to the frame? Have you made a paddle yet?

 

[torjusg]

super little boat :You_Rock_ How big is she and is the hair still on the skin? What did you use to tie the skin to the frame? Have you made a paddle yet?

Thanks

The vessel is about 1,5m in diametre, as it is slightly oval that is on the long side. I took off the hair to keep the weight down. The elk hide is plenty of thick anyway (over 1cm on the thick spots), so it will stand most rocks. The skin is tied onto the frame with leftover strips of hide. No paddle yet. I think the testride will be done with a simple pole.

 

[wentworth]

That's incredible! You should be very proud. Looking forward to the tutorial.

 

[jojo]

Thanks

The vessel is about 1,5m in diametre, as it is slightly oval that is on the long side. I took off the hair to keep the weight down. The elk hide is plenty of thick anyway (over 1cm on the thick spots), so it will stand most rocks. The skin is tied onto the frame with leftover strips of hide. No paddle yet. I think the testride will be done with a simple pole.

Another question or two if I may, Torjusg; How are the saplings tied together or are you relying on friction to hold them in place? The picture is good but I can't see any ties Also is the skin waterproofed in some way and what did you use?
I am really interested in this because I have thought before to use skins in the making of skin on frame canoe. It may be that elk skin are too thick and heavy? Are they hard to come by as I think a mimimum of two would be necessary.

Something like this one.

 

[Montivagus]

Nice! but where's the front ? and where do you sit?

 

[jojo]

Nice! but where's the front ? and where do you sit?

Montivagus, are you talking about the canoe or the coracle? As far as this canoe is concerned, I made it bit too narrow for me ! So I ended up having to sit on the floor and use a double paddle!!!

 

[Montivagus]

I was on thread. It was a coracle joke ...I can spot the front of a canoe!

But I was wondering where you sat too so thanks.

 

[torjusg]

Another question or two if I may, Torjusg; How are the saplings tied together or are you relying on friction to hold them in place? The picture is good but I can't see any ties Also is the skin waterproofed in some way and what did you use?
I am really interested in this because I have thought before to use skins in the making of skin on frame canoe. It may be that elk skin are too thick and heavy? Are they hard to come by as I think a mimimum of two would be necessary.

Something like this one.

The saplings are kept together by the weave, on a few crosspoints they are also tied together (should preferrably have been all, but I ran out of time, needed some daylight to attach the skin). The skin is not waterproofed and it will soak up water (slowly) because of that. I assume that oiling it will make it more resistant.

Elk skins would work fine on a canoe I suppose, it would be very durable against rocks, but as you say it may be a little heavy.

There is an virtually endless supply of skins around here. Noone wants them so they are just thrown away. You could get as many as you wanted for free.

The skin on the picture is a relatively small skin, bigger bull skins are not only thicker, but larger.

PS! The reason why I didn't make a seat is because that would be an enormous undertaking with stone tools.

 

[John Fenna]

What a beauty of a coracle!
For those interested in such craft I reccommend the Coracle museum in Cenarth, near Cardigan, in West Wales, where they have examples of such craft from around the world.
Your Coracle looks very much like a Mandan Indian "Bull Boat" from the shores of the Mississipi river.
Coracles are easy to paddle with a "sculling draw" stroke, easy to carry and beautiful to see, and are still used, on the River Tivy in Wales as well as other rivers, to catch Salmon.
Coracles rival canoes as river craft to fish from!

 

[Toddy]

Nice one Torjusg :notworthy

May I ask how you fitted the weaver rods into the gunnel rim? Did you use heavier saplings for the rim or did you bundle them?

Cheers,
Toddy