driftboat oars, which ones do you like?

[where's your bobber dude]

I am getting a new driftboat and I am thinking about getting different oars. What oars do you have and why?

[skrimmy]

Sawyer Composite Counterbalanced. After rowing all day, my arms don't feel like I did a thing. I got them because an ifisher had them advertized on the board and I was looking for a new set.

[Billy Tillamook]

I had the sawyer counterbalanced oars for years and I loved em'

[Salmon Stryker]

I have Sawyer composites with the lightweight plastic blades and I love them. No counterbalancing needed. Well maybe it is just because I'm so strong.

[Fishin Magician]

I use the 9' Cataracts and love em. I also had the sawyer counterbalanced oars and they were heavier in my opinion. The blades you use also make a difference. I run the paddle tips.
John

[deep set]

Cataract Composite with Dynalyte Blades (they come out of the water with zero resistance!) and they look sweet if you care. You can get them counterbalanced as well.

[RichH]

I've always been a fan of 9' Sawyer wood.

[speyfly]

Same as deep set, Cataract with the Sawyer Dynalite blades. No reason to counter ballance with this set up.

[Dead Drift]

Cataract 9 1/2 foot with magnum blades. I use these on my 17' Willie. Replaced the 9 foot oars and made the control of the boat a lot easier. It takes a little more "pull" to get the magnum blades through the water but you'll never notice it after you get used to it.
Kent Anderson

[Bark-Glue]

I like the 9' Sawyer lite for technical white water. The Cataract Composite have to much flex and by the end of the day my shoulders ack. I do own a pair of Cataract Composite as a back up oars for my multiday trips. With these I can break down one oar and have a third ready as a spare.
I like the feel of wood vs. composite for class 3 to 4 white water. I don't have to start rowing one or two extra stroke before my entry. With wood you get a better feel of the hydraulics and when applying force to the oar in this situation you don't want any flex from your oars. Its a waste of energy to the boat and the oars. If you row technical bolder gardens, then you want a wood blade so you can place the oar on bolders to us as an axis point in tight line. When the oar blade of wood start to get eaten up i have place a small amount of coat-it on my blade and sanded then down to a nice finish. this has also expanded the life of my oars.
If your a novice and or mainly run just class 2 water then composite is good. Sawyer lite 9' are cheaper than composite and with composite you can replace the blade, with wood you can't replace the blade.
If your not a very strong person or strong back, then start doing pull-ups. I do pull-up every other day and when i have big trips set up like rowing 5 to 10 days on the river, then start doing pull-ups two weeks before your trip and you'll notice a big difference at the end of each day.
I've had my Sawyer lite for 4 years and have rowed/logged over 6700 miles with the same set of Sawyer 9' oars and the same Willie boat. My composite oars they got about 50 miles logged.
Good luck in your purchase.

[cully]

sawyer smokers solid ash. I rather let my chips fall on wood.

[Grantspastor]

I'll throw in my vote for Sawyer Lites. They're the best I've used. Super light weight and plenty strong. I do a fair amount of big water boating

[Knot in leader]

I have a 3 sawyer lite oars for sale if you are interested. I will let all 3 go for $225.00