I am looking for a light wood to make oars. - Wooden Boat People2024-03-29T11:10:49Zhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/forum/topics/i-am-looking-for-a-light-wood-to-make-oars?commentId=1312281%3AComment%3A156653&feed=yes&xn_auth=no"Soft maple..." ? You are a N…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2020-03-27:1312281:Comment:1583462020-03-27T00:23:15.836ZJC Smithhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/JCSmith
<p>"Soft maple..." ? You are a North country - Adirondack guy for sure! :)</p>
<p>"Soft maple..." ? You are a North country - Adirondack guy for sure! :)</p> oars%202.jpg
We use soft mapl…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2020-03-20:1312281:Comment:1581922020-03-20T01:24:04.982ZJohn Homerhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/JohnHomer
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4162863029?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oars%202.jpg</a></p>
<p>We use soft maple here. It has a lot of flexability and you can thin this down the loom to about 1 1/4". Weight per oar is about 3 1/2 lbs. Not super light but the water helps when in use. Never used these for drift boats but imagine it would work fine with minor modifications.</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4162863029?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oars%202.jpg</a></p>
<p>We use soft maple here. It has a lot of flexability and you can thin this down the loom to about 1 1/4". Weight per oar is about 3 1/2 lbs. Not super light but the water helps when in use. Never used these for drift boats but imagine it would work fine with minor modifications.</p> Hey Charles, any updates?tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2020-02-20:1312281:Comment:1581572020-02-20T22:26:48.281ZShawn Bakerhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/ShawnBaker
<p>Hey Charles, any updates?</p>
<p>Hey Charles, any updates?</p> Ken, I've been an arborist mo…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-22:1312281:Comment:1575732019-12-22T23:53:14.294ZDon Tysonhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/DonTyson
<p>Ken, I've been an arborist most of my life and it seems like your the one having fun. I met a guy outside of LA a few years back and he does the same thing you do. I cut some logs here and there from residential arborists that would rather see me get them than to dump them. The guy that does my larger logs just got a 108" Lucas and is able to cut more of the giants from historic properties locally.<br></br> Western Red Cedar was new to me until I started selling in the Sierras around CA. I've…</p>
<p>Ken, I've been an arborist most of my life and it seems like your the one having fun. I met a guy outside of LA a few years back and he does the same thing you do. I cut some logs here and there from residential arborists that would rather see me get them than to dump them. The guy that does my larger logs just got a 108" Lucas and is able to cut more of the giants from historic properties locally.<br/> Western Red Cedar was new to me until I started selling in the Sierras around CA. I've since been given a small amount and used some for the gunnels on my boat. While I love it it dents simply by looking at it. <br/> Would your teak oil be a stable replacement for varnish on Oars?</p> Hi Don, I have two bandsaws.…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-22:1312281:Comment:1575722019-12-22T23:39:20.235ZKen Chaytorhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/KenChaytor
<p>Hi Don, I have two bandsaws. The vertical one shown in the pic is actually home made with 36 inch wheels and a tilting table. My other is a horizontal , 'push' bandsaw which I use for truing somewhat square timbers. My business is teak wood, importing and making boat parts. Semi retired, but going strong 4 hours a day ;-) </p>
<p>Hi Don, I have two bandsaws. The vertical one shown in the pic is actually home made with 36 inch wheels and a tilting table. My other is a horizontal , 'push' bandsaw which I use for truing somewhat square timbers. My business is teak wood, importing and making boat parts. Semi retired, but going strong 4 hours a day ;-) </p> Hi.....agreed. Cedar is only…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-22:1312281:Comment:1577702019-12-22T23:29:17.227ZKen Chaytorhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/KenChaytor
<p>Hi.....agreed. Cedar is only for canoe paddles ! That is where lightness and finesse is required.</p>
<p>As for oars....I have been in some lumpy water with a current not favorable, I would choose a stronger/slightly heavier wood which I can rely on to lean back with my pull and no matter the obstacle, know the wood will stand up. We are so much stronger when scared. ;-) Always bring spare oarlocks.</p>
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<p>Hi.....agreed. Cedar is only for canoe paddles ! That is where lightness and finesse is required.</p>
<p>As for oars....I have been in some lumpy water with a current not favorable, I would choose a stronger/slightly heavier wood which I can rely on to lean back with my pull and no matter the obstacle, know the wood will stand up. We are so much stronger when scared. ;-) Always bring spare oarlocks.</p>
<p></p> Ken, I've thought that your c…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-22:1312281:Comment:1576732019-12-22T23:01:46.880ZDon Tysonhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/DonTyson
<p>Ken, I've thought that your conclusions are basically correct, that we worry too much about weight, not enough about balance. I've been to numerous museums and have noticed how heavily built workboat oars are. In the case of drift boats there are perhaps situations where fast reactions and swift corrections are effected successfully do to the lightness of the oars. Perhaps open water rowing is more consistent and predictable. Not speaking at all from experience, none, but rather throwing it…</p>
<p>Ken, I've thought that your conclusions are basically correct, that we worry too much about weight, not enough about balance. I've been to numerous museums and have noticed how heavily built workboat oars are. In the case of drift boats there are perhaps situations where fast reactions and swift corrections are effected successfully do to the lightness of the oars. Perhaps open water rowing is more consistent and predictable. Not speaking at all from experience, none, but rather throwing it out for discussion. However the idea of using cedar for oars scares me. <br/> Thoughts?</p>
<p>What kind of bandsaw mill are you using. I have an old Norwood.</p> Hi, there was a time when I w…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-22:1312281:Comment:1576702019-12-22T22:26:31.559ZKen Chaytorhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/KenChaytor
<p>Hi, there was a time when I was cash poor and teak plentiful. Still cash poor... I needed oars for a traditional lapstrake I built and could not afford Sitka spruce so I built teak oars. Spoon blades , of course and just shy a couple of inches of 7 feet. I use them on 8 and 10 foot wood lapstrakes and they are perfect. They weigh 5 pounds each and old, strong Burma Teak. Oars are on a pivot point.... I am 67 and row for fun and exercise. I have broken two oarlocks, but never tired due to the…</p>
<p>Hi, there was a time when I was cash poor and teak plentiful. Still cash poor... I needed oars for a traditional lapstrake I built and could not afford Sitka spruce so I built teak oars. Spoon blades , of course and just shy a couple of inches of 7 feet. I use them on 8 and 10 foot wood lapstrakes and they are perfect. They weigh 5 pounds each and old, strong Burma Teak. Oars are on a pivot point.... I am 67 and row for fun and exercise. I have broken two oarlocks, but never tired due to the weight of the oar. and I have rowed many kilometers, usually no more than 10 km in a stretch. The obsession with light wood seems to be for people who are too fragile to be rowing in the first place. Now, a canoe paddle is something quite different. Strong and light. <a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3778259814?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3778259814?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p> Charles, have you looked into…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-21:1312281:Comment:1575702019-12-21T16:20:50.749ZDon Tysonhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/DonTyson
<p>Charles, have you looked into quartersawn old growth White Spruce or White Cedar? For strength and contrast you might add lams of Walnut, cherry or Ash. Walnut is actually pretty durable, strong and easy to work.</p>
<p>Charles, have you looked into quartersawn old growth White Spruce or White Cedar? For strength and contrast you might add lams of Walnut, cherry or Ash. Walnut is actually pretty durable, strong and easy to work.</p> Don, I use a shuttle service,…tag:woodenboatpeople.org,2019-12-21:1312281:Comment:1577662019-12-21T16:17:44.212ZJC Smithhttp://woodenboatpeople.org/profile/JCSmith
<p>Don, I use a shuttle service, Bill Cross, 607.237.3078. Recommended to me by a fly shop and friends. Same plan worked great when I took the boat out west last summer for 3 weeks. I text the shuttle service when I am preparing to launch, and need to say where I am launching, where I am taking out, when I expect to arrive at the take out, make/model/license plate number and where the key and cash are stashed. This is the common approach anywhere there are fisherpersons and drift boats. Makes…</p>
<p>Don, I use a shuttle service, Bill Cross, 607.237.3078. Recommended to me by a fly shop and friends. Same plan worked great when I took the boat out west last summer for 3 weeks. I text the shuttle service when I am preparing to launch, and need to say where I am launching, where I am taking out, when I expect to arrive at the take out, make/model/license plate number and where the key and cash are stashed. This is the common approach anywhere there are fisherpersons and drift boats. Makes for a really pleasant day. You cant travel with two vehicles and do this easier and cheaper than the shuttle services. </p>