Currachs: our turn

[oleg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwW3nMim4fw
I don't know how these guys handle the oar (first 7 seconds) - for me it's still a kind of magic

[Dave Mooney]

Figure of 8 stroke, on its side, out in front, set up a wash that pulls you along. Turn the paddle to cut through the cross, and use flat to pull/drag on the the round bits.
It's like a J stroke in canoeing.
Play with it, it'll come to you.

And well done.

Dave.
Via HTC.

[oleg]

Thanks, Dave. What about small workshop/training once I'm in Ireland?

[Dave Mooney]

That's a date mate. When you over?

[oleg]

Probably, April or May 2011. No final dates yet, will drop an e-mail when we book tickets etc.

[Billy]

well done oleg and all at bran deas!

[finnobreanan]

Good job Oleg! Very well done!

[the_power]

Wow, that's great work. Why are you coming over ? Just touring around ? I can't help thinking we should arrange an event in your honour, even if it's a private one with some mead brewed for it

As Dave says, a stupid amount of practice with figure-8 shapes in front of the boat. I tried it for about 20 minutes, my arms got tired and I got bored, but I was starting to make some progress.

John

[oleg]

Thank you, guys.
I didn't notice some major design features at the beginning. That's why our currach doesn't look as neat as Billy's.
Our plan for this summer is to improve the oar and learn figure of 8/ try J stroke.
Then give wooden part as a keepsake to one of local Irish pubs and next spring make new one.

[Dave Mooney]

Oleg, I just looked at your video based on your last comment.

If you mean the plank as a seat, it's not a structural element and they work without them.

I think your materials were a bit heavy. Older un-coppiced timber has a mind of its own. The band of gunwale weaving wasn't strong enough to deal with the ribs trying to return to their original shape so when you took the frame out of the ground it flattened.
There is more to forming the frame then just bending the branches over and tying them to each other. They will try return to straight. You need to 'educate' them by breaking the fibres along their length. If you look a the old footage the man bends the hazel 'in' his fist, a fist at a time, from base to tip. It is most important at the heavier base end. I knew this when we came to make the coracle because I've made willow fencing. (It's easy to forget you know stuff when you just do it without thinking.) I think Bill 'just knew' as well.
We left the weights on the frame for several days also.

As for using it; We don't sit up in ours so much. We kneel in and just perch on the seat. This lowers your centre of gravity and having your knees and feet on the floor gives you 4 points of contact which gives you better balance. This also puts you close to the water and nearer to the edge of the gunwale so is easier on your arms and shoulders when paddling.

There you go, all our secrets are out

Dave.