I have been lurking on this forum for a good long while,  and have a love for wooden boats,  paddles and oars.  I have made a few ash and cedar raft paddles (guide sticks)  and have always wanted to make oars for rowing whitewater.  I run an Aire superpuma or a bobcat (teeny cat)  on III-V water.   Currently I am running 9 foot cataracts with magnum blades  in open oarlocks with sleeves and oar rights ( I like to be able to feather the oars while surfing)   

After spending way too much time on the forum reading everything I could find on oars. I found some clear ash,  cherry,  and cedar and went to work.   I made two different pairs of oars.  Both have ash and cherry for the blades,  one pair is 1/2 ash 1/4 cedar 1/2 ash 1/4 cedar/ 1/2 ash that has been shaved down to roughly a hair under 2 inch in diameter ,  the other pair is the same,  but with cherry instead of the cedar.    I laminated the layers with west epoxy,  and silca microfibers thickened to ketchup consistency,  and I am pretty pleased with what I have,  but,  light they are not.   The blades are currently 1/2 inch thick.   I am planning on putting a layer of fiberglass on the blades and two coats of west 207 and then spar varnish to protect against uv...   

I am wondering  how heavy a 9 foot wood whitewater oar should be and if I should shave the shafts down more,  and if I can shave down the blades a bit as well before I finish  Right now the cedar ones are about 2 pounds (each)  heavier than the cataracts,  and the cherry ones are about 4.5 each.   Cherry is heavy stuff.  

Shaving down the shafts with a sharp spokeshave has been therapeutic but I do not want to go to far.  

Thoughts

Jeff