Craft a Coracle
(Page 2 of 3)
April/May 2003
By Stanley Joseph
Only a few changes in coracle construction have occurred in the course of 2,000 years, and these have varied regionally. One involved the use of sawed laths, as in Ironbridge, instead of split ash or willow branches in the lattice framework, and also ash lath in the making of the gunwale, instead of plaited hazel or willow. The hide covering was replaced by flannel, made waterproof by tarring or pitching. This substitution probably took place around the time flannel began being made from the wool of mountain sheep, which became an important local cottage industry in the late 16th century. Flannel continued in use until the 1870s, when a rough cotton calico replaced it. Although these new coverings needed to be coated, the weight of the boat was reduced to about half of its former 60 to 70 pounds. The common dimensions of the coracle remained the same as when they were made of hide and determined by the size of a single ox.
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After studying Hornell's book, I decided to build a Boyne River type, which uses round material, such as willow shoots, instead of sawed or split wood for the ribs. I have grown willow for basket making since 1980, and I had allowed some shoots to grow for three or four years to 9 to 10 feet and more than an inch in diameter—strong enough for building a coracle.
Ready to build your own? Follow these six steps:
On a piece of heavy construction paper draw an extended ellipse measuring 3 1/2 feet wide by 4 1/2 feet long. Lay this template on the ground, and with an iron bar make holes about every 8 inches for the 32 ribs. Then drive the sharpened ends of each willow rib, leaning outward at a slight angle, into the holes.
At this point, select willow sticks—with a diameter of 1/4 to 1/2 inch at their widest—that have first been dried in the shade for at least six months and then soaked in water for a week prior to use. If you use green or fresh material the framework will later shrink and not create the tight construction the boat requires.
A To create the gunwale, lay a stick behind each rib and begin to weave these 32 strands around the ribs in a one-over, one-under pattern, continuing to an even height of about 6 inches. At this point, there is an ellipse of vertical sticks connected by a ring of weaving close to the ground.
Now the ribs must be bent over so the coracle will take on its final shape. The ribs along the side, or athwart ship, are bent over first, with the fore and aft ribs laid on top of them. The ends of the ribs are shoved into the ground next to the opposing rib on the opposite side.
This completed, lash all the crosspieces together with tarred line of about 1/8-inch thickness. The sticky, tough line is wound around each joint in a crisscross fashion, bringing the opposing ribs tightly together and making the boat very sturdy.
To encourage the coracle to keep its shape, lay a couple of boards over the framework and rest some heavy rocks on them. After about a week, pry the coracle framework up from the ground and attach a canvas covering to the framework.
