Question: How to wrap oarlocks?

Hi there WBP,
I would like to wrap my Sawyer Cobra Oarlocks in stead of wrapping my oars.  Any hints out there?  Its a little trickier than I thought.  The line used would be an 1/8" polyester braided cord.
Thanks for any insight,
Kelly

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Permalink Reply by Brad Dimock on February 25, 2010 at 9:38pm
He didn't name it on the first trip, but on the second trip, after receiving generous funding from Julius F. Stone, he named it the Julius F. The replica we made in 2001 we called Julius. Attached is shot of the boat behind the Dodge Brothers Touring Car I tried to restore and tow Julius with (the same model Holmstrom drove).
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Permalink Reply by Kelly Neu on February 25, 2010 at 9:48pm
Stone of Stone & Galloway trip?

The pic is unbelievable BTW. Did you get the car to work??

How did the Julius Handle?
Permalink Reply by Brad Dimock on February 25, 2010 at 10:03pm
The car ran pretty good for a while. I got it as far as the middle of the Mojave, towing the Julius, on my way to Oregon. It gave up the ghost in a spot pretty similar to where Holmstrom's did. I sold it to a guy in San Diego who is rebuilding it completely.

The boat handled like a dream. I rowed it everywhere Holmstrom rowed--Rogue to the ocean, Salmon/Snake, Yellowstone, Grande Ronde, Green from source to the Colorado, Cataract Canyon, Grand Canyon (3 trips), and across Lake Mead to hit the dam. It is really quick and stable. The only issue I had with it was in the really big water where I needed to make a major cut. It only has 8-foot oars and you can never get out of first gear. (That's where a Briggs dory with 10' oars really moves out.) Here's a Kate Thompson shot of it in Granite Falls.
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Permalink Reply by Kelly Neu on February 25, 2010 at 10:22pm
dang! those are some good lookin oar sleeves. and the boat isn't too shabby either.
Permalink Reply by geno_86ed on February 26, 2010 at 8:33am
Brad,
How was the float from Green River Lakes to Warren Bridge (HWY 191)? I know the river weaves through a lot of private areas along the route, and the owners can be very protective. I have been eyeing this float for a while, but did not know if it was doable or not.

Geno
Permalink Reply by Brad Dimock on February 26, 2010 at 7:34pm
It is worth it to do a bit of research on where you can touch shore. Those folks up there are kinda crabby. There are some good BLM maps that are helpful. We poached a camp one night, staying out of sight below the river banks. Ask around at the sports and fishing stores in Pinedale.
The river is pretty bipolar. Insane stretches of whitewater that go on forever, interspersed with the flattest, meanderiest doldrums imaginable. It takes pool-and-drop to a whole new level. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. Very interesting terrain. We dragged up to the upper lake, then upriver above the upper lake to just shy of the first beaver dam. We called that the head of navigation. Fantastic place. Then we headed for Green River WY. From an are called (I think) Black Butte, to a stretch south of Pinedale called The Mesa, it is a pretty cool run. South of that it gets pretty dreary, although the birdlife is worth going for.

The wild rapid stretch, called Big Bend, where the river turns slowly from northbound to southbound, is pretty nuts for a wood boat. If I'd have scouted it, I wouldn't have run it. Glad I didn't look--it was a wild ride!

Photos are from:
The highest camp (Al called it Paradise)
Between the lakes, reproducing a Holmstrom shot.
(Squaretop is the mountain on the skyline of both shots)
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Permalink Reply by geno_86ed on March 2, 2010 at 8:58am
Thanks for the info. Black Butte is at the South end of the private area after Big Bend. I have floated (in a raft) the six or eight mile section North of Warren Bridge, but have been dreaming about floating from the lakes to the Bridge.

I may have to ask around the BLM and Game and Fish Dept to get all the details.

I am sure if I can float through the private section without touching bank I would be fine. I just wanted to ask someone who has been through there to make sure the private areas didn't have illegal fences across the river.
Permalink Reply by Brad Dimock on March 2, 2010 at 9:20pm
Well, when we floated it in 2002 there were no fences. Plenty of grumpy xenophobic signs, but no fences. No fishing!!! No Trespassing!!! No anchoring!!!!, etc., etc.
When we were there, the guys at Two Rivers Emporium in Pinedale were extremely helpful in dialing us into where to be and not to be (that was our question).
As I said earlier, it is quite a float. Wilder than you might want alternating with flat as paint.
Permalink Reply by Andy Hutchinson on February 16, 2011 at 9:19am

Hi Kelly, I just stumbled on the O/L wrap discussion, and have some opinions on it all. Looks like you figured it out in terms of wrapping those Cobras, and the photo looks great.

I've rowed/wrapped O/L's for a # of seasons and just love the way they feather, friction-free, less crabbing, etc.

My technique is to use 3/16"nylon cord and soak it in water. Tight wrap on wet, leaving only 1/4" or so of exposed bronze at the O/L tips. I form a "loop" of several wraps at the ends by looping the final, 8-10 loops around a screw driver. I carefully pull-out the screw driver and feed the cord back through the loops and then pull it tight (so it all tightens on itself).  This produces a shrink-wrap effect as the cord dries on the O/L.

After drying I melt the cord ends w/ a hot knife, followed coating the outside (only) w/ West Systems Epoxy.

The inside (oar contact) is treated w/ melted parafin wax, which of course is repeated, every so often during a 2-week trip, ie.: (above the Gorge and Lava Fallies.)

I wrap the oars with P-tex (ski base), or fiberglass seam tape, and stoppers made from wrapping w/ epoxy soaked, 1" webbing, and this combo has always worked really well, w/ rope-wrapped locks.

 

Cobra's design? I'll have to say I feel the main draw back is the hard, spiny ridge in the "saddle" creates a crabby, catchy pt. during the feather of the stroke, and I've never been impressed by this. -Guess I'm just a traditional, old-school, brass, open oarlock guy. My 2 cts. worth...

Andy

Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on February 16, 2011 at 1:24pm

Andy,

 

I hear you about the ridge in the Cobras.  A rat tail file and emery paper is my solution to anything not smooth on brass oarlocks.  We give any new oarlock the emery paper treatment as they all come rough inside.  Lately I've been buying used oarlocks from the Clacka dealer over the hill.  He does a brisk business in fiberglass boats and always replaces the old locks with new ones when he turns a used boat around.  Lucky for me cuz I get the used ones that have been polished smooth by the previous owner for a song.

Permalink Reply by Kelly Neu on February 17, 2011 at 3:59pm

Thanks for the great info Andy.  I spent a day rowing a boat with the p-tex wrap on the oars and loved it.  They were the smoothest and most frictionless oars I had ever rowed with. Almost too slick -ha! Really great combo.  The lock was plain brass.

 

I've rowed the nylon line wrapped lock plus a glass wrapped oar for years.  Also very slick plus there is no edge at the end of the glass wrap so the oars slide in and out of the lock nicely.  The glass wears more quickly than the p-tex obviously.

 

Where did you find the p-tex wrap? Thats great stuff!

 

I ended up going for the leather wrap in a bare lock.  -Mostly for looks and durability.  They are pretty smooth but a little stickier than the options you gave.  I think the next time I do oars I'll go with your advice and try the p-tex wrap. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Jeff Scroggins on February 17, 2011 at 7:56pm

You should be able to get P-tex through a ski repair shop.  Ask for the sintered stuff.  Tognar Toolworks sells it online for $8.95 a foot but it might not be as wide as you want.

http://tognar.com/base_repair_tools_iron_ptex_gouges_damage.html#ptex 

I've had oars P-texed at Humphrey Summit Ski in Flagstaff.  Give them a call and I'll bet they could hook you up.

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