Peter Faulkner is a specialist in making these craft and uses wholly sustainable materials in their construction hence his motto “The Greenest Boats Afloat”, but what is the difference between the two?
A coracle is a small keel–less boat (usually for one person) propelled by a single paddle operated over the front. In this way it is pulled through the water. Coracles are easily portable and highly manoeverable. They are essentially for fresh water use but in expert hands can be used for net fishing salmon in estuaries. They are used for this purpose in West Wales under permit and stringent regulations.
A coracle does not have to be round, and in fact there are many different styles that are in evidence throughout the world, with 18 styles known in the UK alone. The Irish ‘Boyne’ style coracle, pictured on this page, is oval and is the type that can be made on a residential course run by Peter. For more details see his courses page.
The coracle’s origins are pre–historic, possibly in excess of 10,000 years
For further information please visit The Coracle Society’s website at www.coraclesociety.org.uk/
Or this site www.dark-age-boats.co.uk/coracle.php
A currach is a sea–going craft. Again it is keel–less and may be propelled by paddle or oars in conjunction with a sail. Such craft are still in use in the West of Ireland . The ‘modern’ constructional materials (as with coracles) are laths for the framework covered with a tarred cloth ‘skin’.
Sea–going skin boats are known to have been in use around the British Isles and Scandinavia 5,000 years ago. Some of these had sixteen oars and may well have been over 9 metres in length.
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