This coracle was built in Harris in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. As there is practically no wood available to coppice, in Harris, and no hazel anyway, I went to Raasay for this purpose. The gunwale is made of a double layer of roofing battens.

I designed and built her as a working boat for loch fishing, rather than as a leisure craft. Usually, I use her on the sea, keeping reasonably close to shore, as there is no loch close enough to where I live, in Slèite, on the Isle of Skye. Sometimes I use her for surfing (after a fashion) near the beach here, when the sea isn't too rough, and when there is an onshore wind. Although she will take two people, I wouldn't advise doing this with a passenger!

The boats name, which is written in Gàidhlig, but using English runes, is "Gleann Aoighre", which is a place in Raasay where most of the hazel for the frame was cut. I built her upside down, like a Boyne Coracle, unlike the normal, right-side-up way used in Britain, because this way is easier when building in round wood.

Gaelic alternate text:
'S e curach a chaidh a dhèanamh ann an Eilean Na Hearadh a tha seo, far nach eil tòrr fiodh a tha freagarrach ri fhaighinn. Chaidh mi a dh'Eilean Ratharsair gus an calltainn a bhuain. Tha am beul mòr air a dhèanamh le maidean-droma air an dùblaigeadh.

Chaidh a' churach seo a dhèanamh mar bhàta obrach, airson iasgach na locha, seach mar bhàta airson spòrs. Bidh mi ga cleachdadh air a' mhuir, faisg air a chladach, air sgàth 's nach eil loch faisg orm an seo ann an Slèite, far a' bheil mi a' fuireach a-nis.

Uaireannan bidh mi a' surfaigeadh innte faisg air an tràigh an seo, nuair nach eil na tonnan rò mhòr, agus nuair a tha a' ghaoth a' tighinn far na mara. Cha chanainn, ged a ghabhadh i dithis, gur e deagh idea a bhiodh ann seo a fheuchainn le duine eile air bòrd ge-tà!

Tha ainm a' bhàta, "Gleann Aoighre", air a sgrìobhadh ann an runes. 'S e àite ann an Ratharsair a th' ann, far an do bhuain mi an calltainn, airson a crannghall.

Thog mi i bun-os-cionn, mar churach na Boinne, seach anns an dòigh àbhaisteach ann am Breatainn, air sgàth 's gu bheil i air a dèanamh le calltainn, seach spealtan.