Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karl Mueller on April 29, 2009 at 10:30am

The eight point fives should be long enough. The variables to consider is the distance between your oarlocks, not the bottom width and the height of your sides.

With the size of my boat, which is a 16 x 48, 8 footers would have sufficed though I went 8.5 because that was more like what I was used to . . . my previous oars were 9 footers.

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Permalink Reply by David Jensen on April 29, 2009 at 2:03pm

I have used 9's for decades. I have also some 8.5 that worked. I'm not a large, nor strong, guy. I'm old, also. I think length is just a matter of preference. I like the heft and balance of Smoker 9's.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on April 29, 2009 at 8:47pm

8'6" should be the hot ticket for that size boat. One thing to keep in mind is how much weight you will be hauling in your boat (one person or two) as the more you haul the lower your boat will sit in the water and the shorter oars will be better IMO.

My oars have been getting shorter and shorter as the years go on. To me its better to get in two or three quick strokes when needed instead of one big stroke, its more efficient, plus longer oars get hung up and are easier to accidentally dig in on the low side during ferries which can lead to ugly things like boats flips, or oars in the face.

Mike

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Permalink Reply by mitchell on April 29, 2009 at 10:18pm

interesting....i feel like I get better performance with one good oar stroke then messing about with dip dip dip. But that is not to say i don't have the quickies in the game plan if needed. They do have their place.

My boat is 16' X 48" and I use smokers solid ash 9 footers. There are times that I've had too much oar in the water but that was my bad not the oars. I think you can over dig any size oar and their is a recent photo on this site catching me doing exactly that...busted.

have fun with your selection Jared and let us know what you chose. Remember to keep those wood oar blades varnished. Man, did i see some chewed up blades on beautiful boats at the boat show.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on April 30, 2009 at 6:51am

Mitchell,

I suppose it might matter what type of water you row too. In lazy flat water yes one good pull might be all you need, but it technical fast whitewater long strokes tend to get you in trouble. The longer the oars are in the water the more likely they are to get hung up on something. Moving a boat away from danger is about oar turnover speed not one big power stroke. Your boat will move faster when you take hard shorter strokes more so then one huge stroke. Ive found this out by rowing a lot of tough whitewater in my rafts and it works just the same with driftboats. Lets use the move into the eddy at Blossom for example. The first stroke slows your boat down, the second, third and fourth strokes get your boat into the eddy, and from there on its just steering your boat around the horn rock backwards and heading down the beaver slide. Now where I've watched many a boat get in trouble here is they underestimate the drop, setting up to far left, their boat accelerates toward the picket fence and they try to use one huge pull to get into the eddy which is doing nothing but slowing the boat down instead of moving it. Oar turnover speed is critical here which is made easier by shorter oars.

Mike

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Permalink Reply by mitchell on April 30, 2009 at 7:00am

Mike,

your points are well taken and I understand them. I guess what I was trying to say is that one good oars stroke (big or small) is worth 3 untimed and misplaced strokes. Small timely placed strokes are as good as gold!

Also if your putting your boat through blossom your ability is far tested than mine and my hat is off to you. Good rowing to you.

mitchell

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Permalink Reply by Jared Lane on April 30, 2009 at 11:53am

Hey, thanks for the info fellas, I think i might stick with getting 9 footers, I think they should work out fine.

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