Maritime Mystery

[neilmcd]

Today I was down at the marina and talked to a sailor who had just bought a nice new hard shell dinghy and was assembling the oars. As usual the shaft of the oars, including the collar that rests in the oarlock, was totally round as was the inside face of the oarlock itself.

Anyone who has ever tried crew rowing knows that their oars have a vertical flat on the back of the oar body that mates with a flat on the inside of the oarlock when the oar blade is at exactly the right (vertical) angle to the water. Providing that the these racing oar blades are anywhere near vertical, they will slip into a true vertical position the moment any serious pressure is applied.

Since highly skilled oarsmen think that this system is valuable, why oh why is the novice rower forced to struggle with the lack of this simple alignment tool in his dinghy? I can understand that the cheapest oars might be made like this to keep their prices down, but why I have never ever seen better quality dinghy oars fitted with such a simple system that would make rowing so much easier for the novice? Its a maritime mystery!!!

[scottyt]

because we are not racing, and it would it cost to much for what it is. it sounds like a nice idea that works for racers but to cover all the rowing and sitting styles of somebody just trying to get to the dock i dont think it would work

[neilmcd]

Originally Posted by scottyt

........ but to cover all the rowing and sitting styles of somebody just trying to get to the dock i dont think it would work

There is one feature that covers all the rowing and sitting styles and that is that the oar blade must be vertical in the water if you are going to make any significant progress.