Making and Sailing Coracles

Dave Purvis, with the help of Ian Welford, describes how to make, carry and sail a coracle here at the `Wild About Wood` fair at Yorkshire Arboretum. Dave describes a coracle as, "Just a basket to hold water out..." and believes practicality not aesthetics to be the key. He loves the feeling of being close to nature and speaks knowledgeably about the history behind the craft and its geographical spread, from Scandinavia to Vietnam to Wales.
www.coraclesociety.org.uk; www.worldofcoracles.co.uk
www.woodlands.co.uk/tv
www.yorkshirearboretum.org
www.wildaboutwood.org
www.adliberate.co.uk

[@garyfruland]

Now I have a new favorite Christmas time video! Great job on this one! Gives you all you need to know about the simplicity of Coracles. I didn’t know about the Scandinavian part of the history. The biggest percentage of my history is Scandinavian!

[@andrelloyd4010]

A wonderful video - Thank you for producing and kindly sharing the moments.🙏

[@Veldtian1]

What a piece of craftsmanship, jolly good.

[@rokhnroll]

What a nice gent, I really enjoyed this and found him very interesting to listen to with his knowledge on the building, history and techniques of the coracles, thanks.

[@deathvalleyalex9485]

Many many years ago I read treasure island and the built a c oracle . Lasted 12 years . The most contrary craft I've ever been in on the water !

[@abkhor]

I love that, so nice. When I go back home(Afghanistan)I'll create coracle game for fun.

[@ianbruce6515]

Lovely coracle! I'd like to build one. The paddles pain me, though. It really hurts to see paddles being used that are so inefficient for the sculling stroke. If I lived near there, I'd knock out a couple of proper paddles for them to try. It would be a revalation!

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

What a top fella. Love his attitude and knowledge. Excellent video. I learnt a lot. Thanks

[@jeffersoncarlisle3125]

Howdy! I made a coracle of sorts but it is quite heavy...thanks for the video!

[@learrus]

I can't wait to build something like this

[@mukhumor]

Cool video.

[@dianeguetterman]

Very interesting.

[@jmelharley7640]

Very good an inspiration to make one

[@spencersanderson1894]

I believe Ray Mears made one on a series of his, completely out of willow he harvested himself, fantastic little thing!

[@YnseSchaap]

If you fall in you're even closer hahahahahahahahaha, I got to try that

[@rattytattyratnett]

Is there a step by step video of the construction?

[@WOODLANDSTV]

Hi. Thanks for your question. We've not done a full step by step for this, but if there's enough interest we could certainly look to do one as a follow-up.

[@kapilapeiris4202]

Great

[@pabloalava1145]

The oldest cave paintings of coracles are at Altamira and El Castillo, north Spain.

[@GreatNorthWeb]

I'm short and prefer a short paddle in my canoe. in this application, a long paddle with a wide blade would be better for me.

[@ianbruce6515]

A long narrow blade with a good foil section is most effective for the sculling stroke. I've used a traditional oar over the bow of a dinghy to good effect. (Great for squeezing your little dinghy through narrow spaces). Oars using variations of this stroke all over the world use long narrow blades.

[@100musicplaylists3]

Are coracles strong enough to use as a bathtub?

[@LamarSineath]

What is callico?

[@quimblyjones9767]

A type of material. Like canvas but more like bedsheets. 5 years too late but hey

[@silverlaptop2022]

A big floating WOK 😂

[@bobrenda1618]

Very nice but it makes me think that people were very happy when boats were designed that moved thru the water more sensibly.