Coracle Building Feature - Published 22nd February 2006

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For one coracle ten longitudinal laths, each 7' 6" (2.25m) long are used together with another nine, each 1ft (0.3m) shorter to be placed at right angles. Each lath is approx 1" (25mm) wide and 1/4" (6.25mm) thick. The laths are placed into a bath of boiling water until they are sufficiently pliable to bend without breaking.

Any suitable flat surface will suffice as a building board, in fact one witnessed being built at Ironbridge in the 1970s was being built outside pinned to an old door supported by a gateleg table! The longer laths are arranged on the building board and tacked lightly down approx 5" (125mm) apart

The nine shorter laths are then interwoven at right angles to the pinned laths making a type of lattice framework.

When this has been done two diagonal braces are placed on the framework. Heavy weights or stones are placed at the intersection of the outside laths. The sides are then bent upwards. A hazel gunwale is then woven around the top to form a rim, very much like a wattle hurdle. This is tacked in place at each lath. The seat is inserted into the gunwale at this stage.

Bleached calico is then stretched onto the frame and stitched to the gunwale - a job traditionally carried out by the women of the community. Many coats of linseed oil mixed with pitch are then painted onto the outside surface to waterproof the coracle, giving it the traditional black colour.

Paddling a coracle is an art in itself - the paddle is approx 4 1/2 ft (1.35m) long and is used with a single hand, the end of the handle resting on the shoulder and the paddle blade describing a figure of eight in the water.