One of the things not mentioned is setting things up. I don't like to have to use two hands to set up an oar and a lock. Hence all my open locks have a lanyard either going to a hole in the lock or around the neck just below the U. Goes in with one hand, then grab the oar about at the leather and drop it in. Some U shaped locks are shaped to help retain the oar in a seaway with the top of the U angled in. I've found that I can cut the plastic lock from the top of a Gaco oar and get the same effect.
For oar length, if you are using stock manufactured oars, and your boat is 48" wide or so you'll need an 8' oar.
None of the oar length formulas figure in height of lock off water. A 9'6" oar works fine on a single scull with 5' beam but is too short for my 5' beam row/sail boat.
This is a well written article explaining the relevant basics that could be most helpful to anyone that is a beginner to moderately skilled oarsperson or amateur boat builder. It doesn’t drown anyone in fuzzy math, and Mr. Angus uses plain speak extremely well.
One of the things not mentioned is setting things up. I don't like to have to use two hands to set up an oar and a lock. Hence all my open locks have a lanyard either going to a hole in the lock or around the neck just below the U. Goes in with one hand, then grab the oar about at the leather and drop it in. Some U shaped locks are shaped to help retain the oar in a seaway with the top of the U angled in. I've found that I can cut the plastic lock from the top of a Gaco oar and get the same effect.
For oar length, if you are using stock manufactured oars, and your boat is 48" wide or so you'll need an 8' oar.
None of the oar length formulas figure in height of lock off water. A 9'6" oar works fine on a single scull with 5' beam but is too short for my 5' beam row/sail boat.
This is a well written article explaining the relevant basics that could be most helpful to anyone that is a beginner to moderately skilled oarsperson or amateur boat builder. It doesn’t drown anyone in fuzzy math, and Mr. Angus uses plain speak extremely well.