Forget the megayacht of yesterday. I am sure I can afford a megayacht timeshare…unless you can rent by the minute and I start saving now. Despite my lack of cash, I do have access to some willow rods. If I could just find the a large animal hide, I’d be set. I guess it’s time to get scudding. With these supplies and some tar, I could presumably make an Irish coracle, a flat-bottomed-walnut-shell-shaped boat constructed of interwoven rods, bound by twine, and covered in an animal skin, used on rivers, tidal flats, and other waterways.
The video above demonstrates how masters build the coracle, so nothing should stand in your way. You can order a hide here or better yet McMaster-Carr has canvas.
With a couple fine coracles and crews of grant thirsty marine scientists armed with pipettes and CTD’s I’m sure we could strike fear into the hearts of the mega-yacht owners and convince them to “grant” us use of their ships for the 340 dys of the year they don’t use them.
You could just knit a cover:
http://valariebudayr.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/07/happy-birthday-.html
This person’s blog has the best pictures I could find Of Debbie New’s knitted lace coracle. That’s the knitter at the bottom in the white sweater.
Fascinating piece of footage. But a sea-going coracle made of willow and 30 ox hides? Hmmm. What could possibly go wrong?
Interesting story you got here – Sven – marine student Norway