Peter Faulkner - Coracle Maker

Programme Outline

Peter Faulkner makes a coracle.

Peter axes some hazel branches and lays them out in a criss-cross fashion on a special table. He bends the branches up to make the sides of the boat and ties them in position. He clips any overlap and ties the branches to the rim of the boat (the gunwale).

He weaves small branches of willow around the frame in the base of the boat and near the gunwale to add strength. He adds a wooden seat. He turns the boat over and attaches a cow hide, waterproofed with lanolin (sheep’s wool oil). Lastly he makes a paddle from local ash wood.

Peter carries his boat to a local river and paddles downstream.