Oar questions....

[Chris Nordling]

Please, I need help in selecting a pair of oars for my driftboat. My friends say that my current ones are too long, and that I am looking for nothing but trouble when the water comes up. I have made a whoppin total of three drifts ( two down the NF Lewis , 1 Barton to Carver in really low water) so to say the least I can use some experience. I have been a passenger several times, mostly with one of my buddies who claims I need to change oars. This guy floats o.k, but I don't want to rely just on him. He has definately had a few "experiences" of his own.
So basically I need some help. I have a 65" beam across the oarlocks. My current oars are alumaweld( not the brand of boat tho.) and they are 9' in length. About 6'10 between blade and oarstop. I can't see much of an advantage of dropping six inches, especially since sawyer lights run some $$$$. I would like some wooden oars, and I'm not sure what my current ones are made of. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great. The guy at Fisherman's said they were about right, and I recently had them re-wrapped at Clacka and they set the oarstops after I told them about my boat.
Bottom line is that I want to be safe. If that means covincing my wife to spend some more $$$$, then so be it. I want to learn right, and I don't want to constantly get grief from my passengers. For now I'll stick to running the motor or floating the mellow Lewis. But this rain is driving me nuts, and I want to fish the Wilson or Nestucca from my boat real soon.

HELP!!!!!

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ TEAM U.S.A. ~

[Hookset]

Chris,

Sounds like your oars are not balanced for your boat. A 65" beam for a drift boat is very narrow. A standard 16' drift boat is 72" to 76" at the beam. With a narrow beam, a longer oar extends outside the boat to much increasing the weight your holding. Rowing becomes more difficult requiring extra effort and attention to detail.

You can row with oars not balanced, except you won't enjoy the trip nearly as much. Properly balanced oars means everything while drifting. Working a blade while holding to much weight is tiresome and can create a safety issue.

I'm guessing here a little, an 8' to 8'6" oar may work better. I know what an oar should feel like when balanced, hard to explain the weight. You can check your balance out at home. The weight will be heaviest towards the blade side, but not excessive. If you feel like your holding up almost the entire weight when sitting in the rowers sit, then you'll know the oars not blanced. You could try adding weight near the handle, I've never done this before, may be less expensive then new oars and that's exaclty how the counterbalanced oars are made by adding weight inside the shaft.

Another small important detail. Make sure your blade tips float, not sink. Some early plastic tipped blades actualy sinked. That'll really hurt you trying to drift with heavy oars.

You could also take your boat to a dealer or rafting shop and try different lenghts.

best of luck,

Gregg

[DollarBill]

A basic rule of oar length would be 1/3 of the oar above the oar lock, 2/3 below. This makes for proper balance and good leverage.

$Bill

[Thumper]

I think I would try counterbalancing the oars before spending a bunch for new ones. It's easy to do. Just buy a couple of rolls of solid core lead and wrap the oars nearest the oarlocks, then tape in place with duct tape or electrical tape. Looks good, and those oars will then handle nicely.

[Chris Nordling]

Thanks guys for the input. If $Bill's formula is correct, then I'm about right that way. However Hookset's points are very valid also as sometimes it feels like I'm pulling too much weight. I think somehow the oars get water in them, about 2/3 of the way I can usually tell a significant difference in weight. I'll check with other dealers than Clacka, maybe Steven's Marine can help.
Thumper, any fish in the N.F. Lewis?

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[Catch 22]

Those Cataract counterbalanced oars with the floating tips are the ticket. Replaceable tips. They are heavy as heck. However they feel weightless in the oarlocks. They are amazing. However, it doesn't sound like you're looking for ways to spend money. Therefore, I would counter balance the oars you have now until you know exactly what you want, and are ready to invest in them.

[Chris Nordling]

Catch 22-

I'm not against spending cash. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I just don't want to buy one thing and find out that I have to buy another to be correct. Are the black cataracks as light and as sturdy as the Sawyers Lights? I'm still looking for the right lenght tho ? One says maybe 8' - 8'6, and that kind of goes with what my friends suggest. Is there such a thing as going too short? Too long? Thanks again for the input.

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[Tanner]

If the oars you have now are indeed filling with water (leaking), I would get rid of them ASAP. If you decide to replace them you should really take a look at the Cataract Oars. I have a pair of 10 footers for my 16' Willie and I love them. I will never go back to wood oars again.

[Chris Nordling]

Tanner,

Is that how they get water in them ? I wonder where this leak is. Do you find that the cataraks are light enough and strong enough for you ? My boat is fairly light and easy to manuever, maybe those black oars will provide that extra "touch" I'm looking for. That brand is what most are suggesting. Anyone else with a suggestion?
Thanks for the input.

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[Hookset]

That's a good point on the counter balanced oars. My current oars are counter balanced 12 footers for a 22' sled. Previous oars were 9' counter balanced for a 16 foot drift boat. The increased weight in the handle allows a person to take advantage of longer oars for increased leverage. Which in turn improves boat handling with less fatigue.

Oars that trap water inside are destined for the scrap heap. If your oar tips are not floating and water remains inside, new oars will seem like magic.

I have not used the cataracts yet, my current oars are Sawyers. Whatever brand of oar you purchase, make sure the blade is long and wide for improved control. I'm assuming your now in the market.

Gregg

[Osprey]

The way I decide on oar length is to take the distance between the oar locks and multiply by 2 ,if needed add or subtract 6".
IMHO it's better to have too much oar than not enough.
all though some of us don't have both oars in the water images/icons/rolleyes.gif......Os

[Tanner]

Hey Os, I thought the way you determined your oar length was the length of your goat times 1 and 1 half.

FWF1,
The cataracts are a little lighter than wood oars and much, much, much stronger. I take my driftboat in some pretty "hairy" water (Upper McKenzie, Upper Nestucca, Upper Wilson and the John Day) and I can remember a few times hearing the wood oars crackling and creaking when I really put the pressure to them. The cataract oars are almost indestructible. I have had these oars in some rough situations and they have come through every time for me'

I am totally with Os on the idea of rather having a little too much oar than not enough.
Everyone told me that 10 footers would be too long for my 16' x 54" Willie Boat but I said screw em and got them anyway and I absolutely love them. The cool thing is they are big enough I can use them on my 16' x 8' Cataraft also.

I'm not an old veteran at rowing, I've been doing it for about 11-12 years now so I feel I know what I'm talking about when it comes to rowing a driftboat. I would very seriously look at investing in a pair of cataracts if I were you. Believe me, You won't regret it.

By the way, I rowed a Clackacrap (Oops, sorry, Freudian slip) once that had counterbalanced wood sawyer Oars. Personally, I thought the only good quality about them was their potential for keeping a good campfire lit. They were the most awkward feeling things I have ever used. Of course back then I was used to a set of waterlogged wood Sawyers that weighed about 20 lbs a stick.

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[Chris Nordling]

Thanks guys for the input, and thanks to Nookie Monster for the e-mail offer. I guess now I'm officially in the market for new oars. I know that fisherman's in O.C. has the brand most have recommended, I'm still up in air about length. By O's calculation that would mean 10' oars for my 14'4 boat. Talk about extension. I think I'll try Nookies 9' ones. Kind of like a test drive. I thought that was a great offer. Now once I get this figured out, the next will be which river to try them out on, and with whom. Decisions......

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[Catch 22]

Not to confuse this anymore, but you mentioned black oars. In an earlier post, you mentioned looking at Clackacraft. They have Carlisle oars made for them in black with their own label put on. I currently run Carlisles and they're OK. However, Clackacraft also carries Cataracts. They're both totally interchangeable. You can buy the cheaper Carlisle oars and put in the floating Cataract blades. Or you can Go bezerk and spend the big dollars and get the full on balanced Cataracts with the floating blades and be done with it. Sawyers cannot hang with the Cataracts. Lots of guys use them because they're "more natural". The wooden oars chip. You can protect them with those rubber caps though right? No, they will rot under the caps. You can however wrap them in fiberglass though. Or you can go get the Cataracts that can't rot, don't chip and have replaceable blades. That or the carlisles. Either is better than wood. Also you asked about weight again referring to the Sawyer lights. Weight doesn't matter. Balance matters. With a balanced set of oars, you don't feel the weight. You're not holding up the oars. The oarlocks are. So the heavier counter balanced oars are actually less fatiguing. Anyway none of this means jack until you set in a boat and try some different oars. That's why I would recommend taking your boat to wherever you plan to oar shop and try them in your boat. That's what's really going to tell you what the differences are.

[Hookset]

Osprey, Have a question on your formula. Since the beam width is roughly the distance between oar locks on a drift boat. That would mean a standard 16' drift boat with a beam of 76" would require an oar lenght of 12' 6". Are you sure your formula applies to drift boats? I can't imagine ever needing a 12 foot oar on a drift boat of 16 feet. I used to row a 16' boat with 9' 6" oars that worked very well.

Playing with some numbers here, if you multiply the beam by 1.5 works just right. The 16 foot 76" beam would require 9' 6" oars. FWF1 65" beam works out to, what only 8 foot. You could go 8' 6' with counter balanced oars. My future 80" beam 17 footer would require 10 foot oars.

Agree with Catch 22, it's all about balance.

Take the offer and try out some oars, you'll never regret it.

Gregg

[Nookie Monster]

NRS recommends the following MINIMUM oar length for beam width: 48" beam 7' oar; 54" beam 7.5' oar; 60" beam 8' to 9' oar; 66" beam 9'-10' oar; 72" beam 10' oar. Granted this guideline is for whitewater rafts but it is a reasonable place to start. The best advice has been to slide a set into the oar locks and see how they feel.

Tanner:
I own 2 different sets of Cataract oars. I was lead to believe that they were indestructible. The third time I had them out, my 5'4" 95 pound girlfriend broke a shaft going over Mill City Falls on the Santiam. I saw her go over the falls and it seemed like a clean run. She hit the entry dead on, ran the tongue, had a little rock and roll bump on the bottom and everything looked groovy from where I was watching. As soon as she got out of the rapid she hollered at me that she broke an oar. When I got to her I saw the oar was broke right at the oar lock. For the life of me I cannot figure out what happened. Took the oar back to Fisherman's-they gave me the run around, said they had to send it to the manufacturer (Advanced Composites). Advanced Composites gave me the run around. Six months later the Rep for A.C. in this area finally helped me get the oar replaced. I felt like Advanced Composites and Fishermans Marine gave me a whole lot more hassle than I deserved over an oar that they tout as indestructible.

[DanS]

Most guys with your typical 16x54 driftboat will run oars from 9 to 10 feet. I use 9 1/2 ft oars on mine. I would think 8 1/2 or 9 footer would be appropriate for a 14 foot boat.

When I first got my boat it had 9 1/2 foot aluminum oars. They were well balanced so they rowed OK, but they sank if you let go of them and I got tired of them sliding up and jabbing me as you drifted through a tailout. images/icons/mad.gif

I was tight on money, but I really wanted some composite oars. I couldn't spring for Cataracts, so I bought a pair of Lavro composite oars with intentions of upgrading to Cataracts when I had more coin. The Lavro oars have been so good to me that I haven't felt the need to upgrade. I've rowed the Cats, too and they're very nice, but I'll stick with my current sticks for now.

You won't regret buying composite oars. Mine aren't light, but they're well balanced so they're easy to row, they float, and you can change blades for different water conditions.

[Chris Nordling]

Ok, let's clear some things up. First of all they are leaky alumaweld oars. Grey handles, black blade. Second of all, I had the current ones re-wrapped at Clackacraft for $20. The oars came with the boat. All Clacka did was set the stops for me, after asking what kind of boat it was for.
At this time I'm hoping to try out nookie monster's set of 9' Cataracts. How do I tell if I've got the properly weighted oars also ? On second thought, I think someone has already said , so I'll re-read. Anyone know of a good place to buy some oars?
You guys have been great, and it's been reel easy to convince the better half, especially when it' a safety issue.

Let's Fish !

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[fishlessinoregon]

oar length is personal choice, I have used 8'6', 9' and 9'6" all on 16' driftboats. I have found 9'6" oars work the best. They give you little extra power which comes in handy when going thru fast water and water with obstacles.

[KrystalFlash]

Here's my .02:

I've rowed a driftboat for quite a few years now and I've used 9' Sawyers, 9' Sitka Spruce, and 9 1/2' Composite oars. We have a 16' and a 18' driftboat.
The Sawyers are an "ok" oar, but they are not designed to last.
The Sitka spruce oars that we had custom made are both light and strong as heck. They have lasted for several years. (8 or so) They are a great oar. My father fancies these.
The best though, hands down, in my opinion, are my 9 1/2' composite Cataract oars. They are a little heavier, but indestructable and they have great pulling power. They are spendy, but you wont have to replace them as often. I have used them in everything from slack to class 3+ rapids.

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[Osprey]

Hookset you are correct with the 1.5 multiplier.
I don't row much images/icons/shocked.gif
I just hang on most of time......Os

I run 9' catracts on my 12' Cat its 63" wide from tower to tower

[ 11-01-2001: Message edited by: Osprey ]