They are roughly built, and by no means fast, but they are wonderfully good sea boats, for their size, and can live in seas which would swamp a boat of ordinary build.
Walter had, with the assistance of Larry Doolan, built this boat for going out fishing.

It was extremely light, being a mere framework covered with tarred canvas.

As soon as Walter had reached the village, and found that the fishermen considered that no boat could possibly be put out, he had found and held a consultation with Larry.
"Do you think the curragh could go out, Larry ?" "Not she, yer honour.

She would just be broke up like an eggshell with them breakers." "But she might float, if we got beyond them, Larry." "She might that," Larry agreed, "seeing how light she is." "Well, will you go with me, Larry ?" "Sure and I would go anywhere with yer honour, but she could never get out." "I am thinking, Larry, that if we carry her along beyond the Nose, we might find it calmer there." "Well, we might," Larry agreed.

"At any rate, we can try." So, calling together two or three other boys, they had lifted the light boat and carried it with its oars along the shore, until they got beyond the Nose; but even here, it was a formidable business to launch her, for, although the rocks broke the full force of the seas, throwing the spray hundreds of feet up in the air, the waves poured through the intervals, and dashed over the lower rocks in such masses that formidable waves rolled in to the shore.
After much consultation, the boys agreed that their best plan was to scramble out on the rocks as far as possible, so as to launch the boat beyond the break of the surf.
It was a hazardous enterprise, and the whole party were, several times, nearly washed into the water as they struggled out.