Check out Sawyer lights, do a google search, I have the Sawyer lights and v-lams, and some heavy wooden oars that came with the boat (too many oars) they all drive the boat differently. I think it really depends what you'll get used too and what kind of water you tend to drift. There's something to be said about the heavy long oars vs the shorter light ones, everyone here will have an opinion on each. Good luck

 

all depends on how much money you want to spend, Sawyer has several different ones , then you can go composite either Edge or proloks same with oar lock systems.

 

If you're new to drift boat rowing, buy some Sawyer lights. They are nice to row, can take all the abuse you can throw at them without breaking, and they are a PNW company. :flag2: Like Gutty said, you can buy some composite oars like Pro Lok, but I feel those are not for the novice rower. Good stroking out there, and enjoy the new toy! :excited:

 

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I will checkout sawyer for sure!

Thank you!

 

Here's something good to know about Sawyer Lights or Smoker's. If you damage an edge, Sawyer can rebuild them at a reasonable price.

 

The lights I got were all but unusable. I rebuilt the edges with aircraft quality epoxy. Turned out pretty good. I'll have to post before/after pics. I ended up with the lights and v-lams for free after some horse trading. I had the composites, found them heavy. Traded those away (for a motor that I sold for more than what I paid for the 3 sets of oars). PM me Highbank101, if your local enough, I might let you try a set, I haven't had the boat out in a few years, they're just sitting around.

 

Years ago, I was side drifting on the Cowlitz and not paying much attention to what was going on. The river shallowed and my downriver oar stuck, causing my drift boat to stand up and almost flip over. It bent my oarlock at a 45 degree angle and I was barley able to row to the bank, so I could change out my oarlock (yes, you should always carry a spare). When all this happened, my Smoker ash oar was bent at an angle that was unimaginable! I find it hard to believe, that some of these new light weight composite oars, could have survived that much stress. I have had this pair of oars since 1984 and have rebuilt the edges, plus marine epoxied a layer of Kevlar on the tips (rubber tip protectors will rot your tips if not removed after rowing). I had another incident similar to this happen, while rowing the Klickitat, where my oar was bent at an unbelievable angle. My oars are heavier than the new lightweight composites, but I'll bet my last dollar that they are stronger.

 

I bought a 17' Koffler in 1987 and got some 9' Sawyer wood oars to go with it. I still use them. I put the rubber tip protectors on them and they are still solid. I've always stored them inside, standing on end. The holes in the bottom of the protectors lets the water out. No rot so far. Good, strong oars. MB.

 

I too have had sawyer wood oars with the rubber tip protectors for a few decades, never had an issue besides the rubber wearing out. As long as Sawyer is around, I will never buy oars from a different company. Guided back in the day and we had composite oars, it would rub off on your waders and you would end up with small little slivers along our forearms. Looked like we had a rash, it itched and overall it was just uncomfortable. Recently added some sawyer dynalites absolutely love them.

 

Thank you all for the replies. I greatly appreciate it!

On the sawyer website it looks like the blades range from 5.5 - 8” wide on their oars. Is there different water where you’d want a wider or more narrow blade in your oars?
I see the lites are 5.5” wide.

 

Lites and Smoker's are 5 1/2" wide and work fine. When I rebuilt the edges on my Smoker's, I widened them to six and you can notice the extra bite over the other pair of 5 1/2" wide that I have.

I also have Dynalite blade oars of 6 1/4" and 7" at the tips. I like the 7" blades way better. I'm not sure where Sawyer measures these blades at, because they have a taper to them, towards the tip.

My fishing partner loaned me his square tops with shoal cut blades to try out and I couldn't get them out of my boat fast enough. I just couldn't get my boat to move fast enough in the tight spots. They are okay for feathering, while plugging in easy water, but they're not for me.

I've also rowed Cataracts with standard and Magnum blades and absolutely hated the magnums. Too big and bulky.

Confusing, isn't it? I say try before you buy, especially with the price of oars these days. Good luck on your search for oars.

 

I used Sawyer wooden oars for 40 yrs, finally bit the bullet and bought a set of Pro-Loks after using their oar locks with the wooden oars, big difference in efficiency. As an experiment I weighed the wooden ones at 91/2 lbs. I've refinished them three times scraping and varnishing, so they didn't gain any weight from originals. The Pro-Loks weigh a little over 3 lbs, makes pulling plugs a lot easier.
About the rubber tips protectors on wooden oars, take them off, sand down to wood and coat the tips with penetrating epoxy, etc, and then put them back on, store vertically, no failures.

 

What size is your boat and how long are your oars?

If your oars are too long they will feel heavy no matter what.

 

15’x48”
Oars are 8’6” long.

 

I had 8 1/2's on my first DB which was a 48 wide, but soon got 9 footers. They were way better. If I remember right the 8 1/2's were Carlisle shafts and I put some extended handles on them, that i picked up from Andy and Bax's, to stretch them out to nine foot. They were the worst oars I have ever owned, and I probably broke a half dozen of those plastic blades that they came with. They were short lived and I went to a super lite pair of 9 foot Smoker's. How I wish I had that pair of oars back. Stupid me let them go when I sold that boat. :doh:

 

Halle TH - I agree 48" bottom - - 9' oars

 

X3 on the 9 foot oars for that sized boat.