- a little about rowing

During this last twelve months I have had two enquiries from members about oars. Having had to research the matter fairly thoroughly it seemed to me that it would be a pity to waste this work. I have therefore collated my investigations with my own experience to produce this article. I should first of all say that inland rowing, using gear such as sliding seats et al is a different matter about which I know little and would not even feel competent to analyse. The following deals only with rowing on the sea in boats with fixed thwarts and with a pair of oars - using the nomenclature as understood along the coast.

The main query was about oar length. I must admit that I have until now adopted only a very casual approach to this problem. There have always been two or three pairs of oars of various lengths on the rafters in the roof of my garage. I generally take down a pair a bit less than twice the beam of the boat I'm using. I am assuming that beam equates to the distance between opposite rowlocks. In recent years I have not done much rowing but at the time of receiving the letters I was just completing the building of a boat which was primarily a rowing craft. This boat deserved a better approach so the enquiries came at the right time.

As soon as I started researching the reply I found out that there is some divergence of opinion among writers. Firstly however there is the simple approach of Eric Coleman. He includes a little table in his book “Dinghies for all Waters”.

Beam 5' 5' 6" 6' 0" Oar Length 8' 8' 6" 9' 0"

Then there is John Leather. He quotes what he calls the 'old established rule'. I think he probably made it up but anyway it is that the length of the oar inboard and outboard of the rowlock should be a proportion of 7:18. Thus a boat of 4 feet beam ends up with 7' 1" oars. As this is not a standard length, he says you can choose 7' for a low sided boat in smooth water or 7' 6" for a deeper boat in sea conditions. His 'rule' would mean 9' oars for a 5' beam. Apparently he also assumes that the rower's hands never overlap.

Next we come to a proven expert where the design, building and use of recreational sea boats and oars are concerned - Pete Culler: he says that the length of the oars should be at least twice the beam of the boat, sometimes more. Our 5' beam boat has now got 10' oars! In explanation I would say that most of Pete Cullers's boat designs were what he called 'clipper' types. Slim shapely hulls of low resistance but also important is that his oar designs insist on fine looms and blades, with heftiness above the leathers to help counterbalance the extra weight outboard.

Finally we come to Eric McKee, researcher and consultant to the National Maritime Museum. In his book 'Working Boats of Britain' we have the most authoritative view based on the use of oars in fishing boats around our coast in all sea conditions. He says that the length of the oar is limited inboard by the boat's beam and outboard by what is manageable. The ratio between these dimensions he calls the gearing. Most rowers can manage a gearing of 1:3 which would accord with a length of twice the beam, but tire more quickly if this is exceeded, even when the oar is counterbalanced inboard. He considered this to be due to the effort wasted in preventing the oar working inboard. He opted for twice the beam as a general rule but found that oars are usually used to the nearest foot or half foot below this calculated amount. He thought that oars should not be completely balanced as they then lack feel. An extra 2-3 lbs should be required at the outer end. The blade can then be immersed without effort.

After all the above, what can one say? The facts are that we have to stow them somewhere on board and that they are not used much on the type of sailing dinghy which most DCA members use. Eric's figures then make sense and could be used as the recommended minimum size. If we decided to use a boat designed for rowing with oars to suit, then Peter Culler's ideas seem right. If we are going to eschew engines but use our oars as much as the longshore fisherman with their lug rigged beach boats and use similar boats, then McKee should be followed. The physical characteristics of the rower and his technique may affect the choice of length as does the differing freeboards of various boats. There is no substitute for 'try it and see'. Those who use oars most tend to favour overlapping the grips at the centre of the boat all or some of the time. The stiffness and weight of the oar should also match the characteristics of the boat. A light easily propelled hull needs light springy oars. If you use heavy oars on such a boat it tends to get away from you and you are unable to stroke effectively to get the most out of it. Spoon bladed oars can also be worthwhile on such boats.

Extremes of boat type can affect the issue. Last summer I found myself in the West of Ireland and while there went in search of Curraghs - those lightweight rowing boats constructed of a framework of timber covered with tarred canvas. I measured half a dozen that were lying ashore at the small harbour of Dingle. The majority were 25' long, 4' 4" beam and the oars measured 11' 3" in length. Here we have a boat that had narrow beam and was very light.

To be continued………..