Sailor's Guide To Rowing

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Delancey

The Shaw and Tenney oar length formula -

"To help our customers size their oars correctly, we’ve been using the same formula since 1858: Measure the distance between the center of the port and starboard oar sockets, which hold the oar locks on each gunnel. This is called the “span” between the oarlocks. Divide the span by 2, and then add 2 to this number. The result is called the “inboard loom length” of the oar. Multiply the loom length by 25, and then divide that number by 7. The result is the proper oar length in inches. Round up or down to the closest 6” increment."

Using that equation I come up with 8' 8" for my boat, which are about a foot too long. I have found this formula: 1/2 beam (distance between oarlocks) x 3 + 6" = oar length, to be very good. It doesn't account for freeboard, but, since most oars come in 6" intervals, you can round up for high freeboard, and down for low freeboard.

Like Snowpetrel, I prefer plastic sleeves as they are far easier to feather than rubber or leather and last longer. I use Schedule 40 PVC with a turks head at the inboard end. I too prefer a longer, narrower blade than a spoon as they are easier to feather, don't catch wavetops as easily and do not have to be submersed as deeply.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I read a really great article about sculling in Wooden Boat Magazine too many years ago, all kinds of good info but I think I gave it to a friend who never returned it. Sigh.

Anyhell, round vs horned oar locks? Seems like not being able to lose them is a big plus for round but there must be a downside otherwise why would there be horned ones. Any thoughts?

Round vs. horned depends on how you want to ship the oars. With horns, the locks stay in place when you ship the oars, round ones come out with the oar. Advantage to round: less likely to lose them, and you are not leaving a potentially dangerous set of horns out where one might fall on them. Advantage to horns, it's nice to pull oars out that are clean and not dragging around locks with them. As a river guide I have used them both, a lot. For us, horns won out. Carlisle oars are strong, but not pretty. Smoker oars is a good brand, our favorite for river trips with dories. Don't nail anything into an oar. Removable plastic sleeves on the shaft that is sacrificial is a good idea. We also used to wrap the shaft with nylon line and then painted it and smoothed it with West System epoxy and graphite which works great and makes them easy to feather. We used to make oar stops out of webbing wrapped, epoxied and held with a hose clamp. No nails. Worked great for many river miles.

[Cheechako]

Spruce oars, bronze circular oarlocks captive on the oar is my preference. The rubber sleeves are good but leather far better. The rubber squeaks.
U shaped oar locks captive on the boat not bad either. I would have probably two oaring positions.
Good Fir or even Cedar oars are nice too. Hard to find clear cedar anymore. I made some once with Fir large doweling for shafts (2"?), I then slotted them for the blade on the bandsaw and used 4 or 5 mm Bruynzeel ply for the blade, epoxied/filleted into the slot and copper nailed.

[tenchiki]

I have a friend who learned cruising on her father's boat. She likes the horned style, since you can take them with you when you leave your dinghy and oars at the dock...

Though I prefer the captive round style when I have a choice.

My small inflatable has the "pinned" oarlocks, so you can't even feather the too-short oars... Anybody have experience replacing them with better oarlocks?

[Snowpetrel]

Went looking for a new set of rowlocks today. Not much on offer these days in the local chandlery. Just really crappy cheap galvanised ones without a shoulder or any plastic covering, or those all nylon ones that bend to much when you really pull hard.

The only decent type they did have available on order was the Gaco type. These look quite good, might order a set. The pt11 guys seems to recomend them. Anybody used them?

http://ptwatercraft.com/ptwatercraft/PT11_Options.html

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Went looking for a new set of rowlocks today. Not much on offer these days in the local chandlery. Just really crappy cheap galvanised ones without a shoulder or any plastic covering, or those all nylon ones that bend to much when you really pull hard.

The only decent type they did have available on order was the Gaco type. These look quite good, might order a set. The pt11 guys seems to recomend them. Anybody used them?

OPTIONS for the PT 11 & the PT SPEAR

I did some sleuthing, found the makers website -
gaco oarlocks

Where I found a number of interesting articles, all were good but these sttod out-
http://www.gacooarlocks.com/plans-for-making-oars.pdf

http://www.gacooarlocks.com/efficient-rowing.pdf

[Snowpetrel]

Yes, an interesting website for sure, he is a sailer and an avid rower plus a free thinker/tinkerer so has given the whole thing a lot of thought.

I still prefer my skinny blades, and I have a theory about a horizontal vortex and lift rather than his vertical vortex and lift theory, but in reality its probably a combination of both. Certainly as I understand it even with the hi tech sculls nearly half the resistance comes from the blades acting as an aerofoil rather than just as straight parachute drag in the water. As sailers this makes sense, as sails work much better when they generate lift, ie reaching rather than a dead run.

I just bought a set of Gaco rowlocks, fortunately the local whitworths had a few sets in stock for a reasonable price. They seem much more robust than the photos suggest, and my worry about the strength of the top clip is unfounded. Very impressed by the quality so far.

I am looking forward to trying them out. If you give me a week or so I should be able to give you a report of them in action.

[capt-couillon]

My own preference, your mileage may vary...

Built a 6' dink to fit on my small foredeck


Being cheap and poor, was looking to save a few on oars and I found these Crooked Creek New Zealand Pine Wood Oar, Varnished with Grip for $25 each with free shipping for the pair... Real war clubs when you get 'em but an hour with the belt sander thinning out the blades and making the shafts oval instead of round, resulted in much improved balance and reduced weight.

Wrapped the shafts in 1/4" 3 strand nylon and installed home-made oar leathers. Leathers were made from a couple of $1.00 belts from the local thrift store, tapered at the ends with the belt sander and then wrapped (think cinnamon roll) around the shaft. Filled epoxy secures the leathers so no tacks to split the oar shaft. A bronze round oar lock was put into place prior to the upper leather. Photo of test wrap (1-1/2" pine dowel) below...


Don't have photo of completed oars handy but can post one on request as they are still being used every day back and forth to the mooring. Pushing an 8' water-tender now, as the small dink (while it works well) is a bit more tender (as it were).

Anyway, my cheap effective solution to $150-ea oars. Used 2-3 miles a day, everyday with no problems after several years of sun and hard rowing. The nylon wraps quiet everything down, as well as reduce wear. A bit of Lanocoat on the wraps every few months helps even more.

Enjoy your new ride











1

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by capt-couillon

My own preference, your mileage may vary...

Built a 6' dink to fit on my small foredeck


Being cheap and poor, was looking to save a few on oars and I found these Crooked Creek New Zealand Pine Wood Oar, Varnished with Grip for $25 each with free shipping for the pair... Real war clubs when you get 'em but an hour with the belt sander thinning out the blades and making the shafts oval instead of round, resulted in much improved balance and reduced weight.

Wrapped the shafts in 1/4" 3 strand nylon and installed home-made oar leathers. Leathers were made from a couple of $1.00 belts from the local thrift store, tapered at the ends with the belt sander and then wrapped (think cinnamon roll) around the shaft. Filled epoxy secures the leathers so no tacks to split the oar shaft. A bronze round oar lock was put into place prior to the upper leather. Photo of test wrap (1-1/2" pine dowel) below...


Don't have photo of completed oars handy but can post one on request as they are still being used every day back and forth to the mooring. Pushing an 8' water-tender now, as the small dink (while it works well) is a bit more tender (as it were).

Anyway, my cheap effective solution to $150-ea oars. Used 2-3 miles a day, everyday with no problems after several years of sun and hard rowing. The nylon wraps quiet everything down, as well as reduce wear. A bit of Lanocoat on the wraps every few months helps even more.

Enjoy your new ride

Wow, sure like your nylon-rope-winding-thingamabob! Sure beats beating up your hands they way I used to when I was a kid.

[Delancey]

Serving Mallet. Old school technology. I like to see the repurposing of the meat tenderizer, nice work!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worm,_parcel_and_serve

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Serving Mallet. Old school technology. I like to see the repurposing of the meat tenderizer, nice work!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worm,_parcel_and_serve

Learn something new everyday!

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Learn something new everyday!

Don, best money you could spend would be for a copy of The Marlinspike Sailor, by Hervey Garrettt Smith. The Bible of cordage work.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Don, best money you could spend would be for a copy of The Marlinspike Sailor, by Hervey Garrettt Smith. The Bible of cordage work.

Off to Amazon. Done! Thanks!

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Yes, an interesting website for sure, he is a sailer and an avid rower plus a free thinker/tinkerer so has given the whole thing a lot of thought.

I still prefer my skinny blades, and I have a theory about a horizontal vortex and lift rather than his vertical vortex and lift theory, but in reality its probably a combination of both. Certainly as I understand it even with the hi tech sculls nearly half the resistance comes from the blades acting as an aerofoil rather than just as straight parachute drag in the water. As sailers this makes sense, as sails work much better when they generate lift, ie reaching rather than a dead run. .

Agree, as a frequent (3x weekly) long distance single sculler, I was delighted to find this thread. Very technical discussion from many who row for practical purposes.

My experience is that there is no parachute like resistance unless you are using poor form. Just before the catch, that oar is poised to dive straight down and immediately exploit the best leverage to pull against. That most efficient lever exists for only a moment as the boat moves past and the rower exerts the strongest pull that they can comfortably sustain over a period of time. When that wide blade dives down it only makes a tiny splash, like a competitive diver slices into the water, and the efficient oar catch, drive and glide form really does not offer drag to the scull unless the stroke is a failed one.

[Don C L]

11 foot Carlisle oars, 4 tons, 22 foot waterline... I'm no Ben Hur but I can get her going 0 to 1 knot in about 5 minutes. Guess that's nothing to brag about, but harbor patrol gets a kick out of it, "probably enough to get you out of trouble!" Getting and out of slip is sure a breeze though! I think my boat or a Pearson triton or similar are about the limit of this option though in terms of size and weight.