Oars for raiding.

[LASER41420]

Hi All,

we had some interesting discussions on the subject of oars during the Thames raid, and one suggestion was old lightweight oars that can be obtained from rowing clubs and cut down to size. One lesson learnt for me this year was that I need oars about a foot longer, and with more efficent (larger?) blades, so does anyone know either:

1, A source for ex rowing club oars?
2, A design for some raid friendly oars?

Thanks

Steve

[Gizzle]

I have not checked this out but could No1 be solved with a trip to ebay?

[tony waller]

Or a visit to a rowing club

 

From: Gizzle [via UK HBBR Forum] [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: 07 November 2011 14:36
To: tony waller
Subject: Re: Oars for raiding.

 

I have not checked this out but could No1 be solved with a trip to ebay?

http://georgeisted.blogspot.com/

 

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[David Bewick]

Make some - it's better than sex!

[Port-Na-Storm]

That's wrong in so many ways.

I got mine on e-bay. A pair of fine Finnish 7' 6" oars for about £33.

There are some here;

Finnish Spruce Oars

good luck, Graham

[LASER41420]

Which takes us back to question 2!

2, A design for some raid friendly oars?

Steve

[LASER41420]

Hmmm, was rather hoping to find some lightweight ones with the wider blades, are they not more efficent?
Steve

[LASER41420]

I have checked out the websites for some reasonably local rowing clubs, all interesting enough but they don't seem to do "for sale" boards at all. Any rowing club members on this forum who now anything about second hand oar availability? ebay offerings seem to be fairly basic old fashioned designs.
Steve

[Chris Waite]

For a fiver, a kind neighbour passed me a lovely pair of tiddly six footers, but with elegant curved blades big enough to drive a Zeppelin:























Extremely good looking, but no practical use in a boat of any size at all -

Tick, tick, tick....    How about I extend the looms?

How about I make demountable extensions that work the same as modern tent poles - hollow tube with elastic down the middle.  It might have to be tightenable rope instead to prevent partition on the high seas, but what a quick way to reduce the length for stowage, rather than having to find a straight eight foot place in a small dinghy.  Better and better - I have an old piece of alloy spar that fits over the handle ends a treat.  

I've just discussed it with 'Polly Wee' and she thinks she might like the idea.  In fact gaffer 'Tit Willow' has a nine foot pair which could be made to work on the same principle.  Much quicker than searching for the right ends from a motley heap of parts, then forcing them together and having to line up clips and such.

I have a dream, a fleet of boats powered by jointed oars

CW  

[Anders]

So this brings us to the realy good question:

Any good ideas on how to make 2 piece oars? Something that will be worth using. Something that makes you wanna row and not just some kind of emergency solution. No wobbly wood in alloy sleeves.

Laser, wheater you want wide or narrow blades is something personal. I only do fixed seat rowing and I prefer narrow blades especially if there´s a bit of chop. Wider blades require a better and more sofisticated tecnique, a lot of feathering, which my hands and arms dont like to much and wider blades put more strain on the whole body.
The workmen from the north atlantic used to row with 2 - 3" wide blades and feathering.

[LASER41420]

"better and more sofisticated tecnique, a lot of feathering", that really does not sound like my fixed seat rowing style at all! It was obvious to me this year that I needed oars about a foot longer i.e. about 8ft, but what would be the best blade profile?

Long? Thin? Curved?

Steve

[Anders]

If you´re just a semi lousy oarsman like me, maybe a pair of straight blade 10cm wide, 80cm long, will do you the best. The simpler oars are easyer to use, so that you can concentrate better on using your body power optimal.

[Paul H (admin)]

Anders wrote

If you´re just a semi lousy oarsman like me, maybe a pair of straight blade 10cm wide, 80cm long, will do you the best. The simpler oars are easyer to use, so that you can concentrate better on using your body power optimal.

Anders,

Completely off topic, but I really like the sound of your guitars on your blog. Bright, clear with a resonant tone on the bass strings. I never studied Flamenco but I did study the classical style at school. I'd love to have one of your guitars but I doubt I could afford one!

cheers
-Paul

[Chris Partridge]

Curved blades do make a difference. I personally like the Macon style but the thinner Admiralty style are also good and pick up less wind resistance if you don't like feathering.
Rowing clubs are always open to offers but you have to ask, either by turning up on club rowing days or by email.