oar sizing for my tinny

T

tanuki

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 23, 2011
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137
Working on a 1965 Starcraft tinny. I need oars, and was thinking of getting the aluminum collapsable kind. Do not know what size in footage to get. The boat is 14? 2? long and the distance between the oar locks is 60?. Width of boat is 62?. Any ideas or tips would be appreciated as I am a rookie at boating and will be splashing in 3 weeks (hoping). I have a 9.9 outboard, just need backup with the oars. Also some of the plastic oar ends are straight and some are curved?..what is your preference?
 
lakelover

lakelover

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Re: oar sizing for my tinny

I have a 14' Starcraft SF14, the dimensions sound pretty close to your boat. I have wooden oars, they are about 7' long.
 
Bwana Don

Bwana Don

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Re: oar sizing for my tinny

the standard way to calculate proper oar size depends on the span between the oarlocks, rather than length. here's how it goes: measure the distance between the oarlocks. divide by 2, then add 2 inches. take this number, multply by 25, divide by 7, and that's your approximate answer in inches.
for example, if a boat is 48 inches between the oarlocks, then the proper size is: 48/2=24+2=26. 26x25=650/7= approx. 93. That's 7 feet, 9 inches. thus, either 7-1/2 or 8 foot oars should work well.
performance rowers with a rowing shell may do it differently, but this formula works well for most rowing craft

I found this on the net. It sound about right. I'm going to guess 7.5 feet by the formula. I sized the Sea Scamps (12' boat) at six foot. They tuck inside the boat and are comfortable to row with although more work to row than longer oars (less leverage).

I'd probably go 7'. They stow better than longer oars when not in use. I use mine only in an emergency.


Here's an interesting discussion;
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?60858-What-size-oars
 
lakelover

lakelover

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Re: oar sizing for my tinny

lakelover said:
I have a 14' Starcraft SF14, the dimensions sound pretty close to your boat. I have wooden oars, they are about 7' long.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I mis-spoke, my oars are 7-1/2' long. I stow them using the rod holders on the sides and have a short piece of rope with loops attached to the front ones to keep them in place while underway. Otherwise they bounce all over the place. But I guess this method is no good if you carry fishing rods!
 
T

tanuki

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 23, 2011
Messages
137
Re: oar sizing for my tinny

@ lakelover and Bwana Don....Thank you. I will be going with 7' or 7.5' oars, hopefully aluminum. By the way, using the formula stated above I would need 9.52' oars !!!
 
Bwana Don

Bwana Don

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Re: oar sizing for my tinny

tanuki said:
@ lakelover and Bwana Don....Thank you. I will be going with 7' or 7.5' oars, hopefully aluminum. By the way, using the formula stated above I would need 9.52' oars !!!
Click to expand...

9-1/2'!:eek: Holy moly. 7-71/2' sounds about right. Smaller is easier to stow, harder to row. We like pictures.:D
 
T

tanuki

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Messages
137
Re: oar sizing for my tinny

Bwana Don said:
9-1/2'!:eek: Holy moly. 7-71/2' sounds about right. Smaller is easier to stow, harder to row. We like pictures.:D
Click to expand...
Got the 7 1/2 foot aluminum oars and here is a pic.....oar1.jpg
 
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