The only way to get oars out from under your feet (or seat) is to raise them above your head - so mount them on the boom.

Boom-mounted oars may sound absurd but they look remarkably tidy and are very accessible. They can be removed and stowed more rapidly than any of the conventional methods, and above all there is no serious limit to the length of your oars so they can be bought with maximum rowing efficiency in mind rather than ‘stowability’. It is no matter if the blades extend beyond the boom end by a foot or so unless you are limited by a mizzen mast.

To secure them, use six HA clips (three on each side of the boom). For each oar you will need two HA654 for the loom and one HA554 for the neck immediately above the blade. Fit the oar clips and mount the oars. Now fasten two lengths of shock cord to the top of the boom suitably spaced and secured by a chock of hardwood. Knot the shock cord either side of the chock to stop it pulling through. At the same points on the underside of the boom fasten a pair of lacing hooks side by side but reversed in relation to each other. Now take each of the free ends of the shock cord and knot them so that the knot pulls over its lacing hook, placing the cord under tension, and is held by it. Bind the knot with rubber self-amalgamating tape to prevent it slipping. Leave about two inches of cord spare beyond your knot, knot again and bind with tape to provide a convenient knob as finger pull. It now requires only one hand to release the cords from their hooks and remove the oars. Replacement is just as easy - i.e. mostly one handed. I’ve been using the method since the autumn on my Roamer for Broads and river sailing and it works well.

Inevitably there must be some price to pay for all that beautiful uncluttered space in the bottom of the boat, but it seems that it is minimal. I had wondered about reduced drive caused by turbulence at the foot of the sail, but have been unable to discern any change at all, and there is a distinct gain in boom weight which helps to flatten the sail in a blow - a valuable asset if, like me, you share a dislike of kicking straps when sailing five up in a fourteen footer. Eric Coleman has pointed out that there may well be an actual gain in sail efficiency. The oars will effectively add to the barrier effect of the boom and by preventing air escaping below it will increase drive by channeling the flow along the foot. If you are sceptical about this you can always drop the oars in light airs; they're not likely to cause much havoc in the bottom of the boat when you are only moving at half a knot; though they can be thoroughly dangerous at other times, no matter where you try to stow them.

Reefing raised no problems if you use points or slab methods, though boom-mounted oars are clearly not compatible with roller reefing. I'm inclined to feel, having used both methods, that the gain in ease of stowage and retrieval of boom-mounted oars could well justify a reversion to points or slab reefing anyway.