CURRAGH
Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:00 pm
The CURRAGH is a frail craft: A skin or hide boat, made of animal hides stretched over a wooden lath frame, the type was one of the earliest type of boats. She was lightweight and could easily lifted out of the water and carried across land. The first types were rounded baskets, later types canoe like.
The early versions which made oceangoing voyages were covered with 3 or 4 layers of hide.
The larger type had a mast and carried a crew up to 20 men.
She were strengthened by inserting thwarts.
Propelled by oars but the larger set a small sail.
Still in use today on the west coast of Ireland but now cloth covered.
Dim. 8 x 1.5 x 0.60m.
Crew around three men.
Ireland 1982 22p sg525, scott?
Source Aak to Zumbra, a Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currach
The early versions which made oceangoing voyages were covered with 3 or 4 layers of hide.
The larger type had a mast and carried a crew up to 20 men.
She were strengthened by inserting thwarts.
Propelled by oars but the larger set a small sail.
Still in use today on the west coast of Ireland but now cloth covered.
Dim. 8 x 1.5 x 0.60m.
Crew around three men.
Ireland 1982 22p sg525, scott?
Source Aak to Zumbra, a Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currach