We are working with the UK Men's Shed Association to introduce Sheds to coraclemaking, in order to increase the volume of coracles being built and used, and hopefully secure the future of coraclemaking in the UK, which is under threat as listed in the Heritage Crafts Association's Red List of Endangered Crafts.
Step five - waterproofing and finishing the boat
Paint the outside of the skin using bitumen paint. The boat will need three coats to ensure the skin is watertight. Use a stippling action to work the paint into the calico. (You may wish to thin the first coat with 20% white spirit to make it easier to apply). Make sure the pleats/stitches are treated well and as the inside pleats won't be penetrated, these should be painted too. Allow time for the paint to dry between each coat - in a warm environment, this will take approximately one hour
When the last coat has been applied and the paint dry, fit the inner and outer gunwales using 1in (3cm) nails