Rowing a tin boat

[Downwindtracker2]

Yes ,I know a 56" beam tin boat is not a row boat.The second time out with my Harbercraft 11'6" the battery died on an electric only lake. There was a hatch on,so I tried rowing,it was very aukward.I don't think the set-up was for someone 6'1''.But how are oars supposed to be set.I may some day have to use them again.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

The biggest problem people have when setting their boat up for rowing is improper oar length. They almost always tend to use oars that are much too short for the application. There are several complicated formulas for determining length. The simplist is to take half the distance between oar locks (usually very close to the widest beam) in inches times 3 and add 6 inches. So in your case; 56/2=28X3=84+6=90" That's a 7.5' oar. The looms of the oars should overlap about 2 inches. In other words your hand grips should overlap each other about 2 inches so that your hands would hit when pulling if you weren't staggering your arm position. What size oars were you using? The position of the oar locks should not be forward of amidships for single rower boats.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

I have a galley slave and a drum...

 

[INJUN]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

Face aft when rowing.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

Face aft when rowing.

Yes, for the best power, but not when you're rowing whitewater. The Galloway method for rowing (forward facing) gives much better control and best of all, you can see where you're going!

 

[Downwindtracker2]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

The oars are 7' .With the hands in tight like that,it would be more of a sweep than a pull.

The one other time I tried rowing, it was down river,facing,moose hunting. We soon started the motor. John's 12 footer is slightly bigger than mine.After canoes this is all new.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Rowing a tin boat

Your greatest power in rowing is pulling with your hands in front. I usually (on rafts anyways) find my seating position, adjust the oar locks so that my hands when pulled to my chest hit me in the nipples. Then look at the blade of the oar and see where it's at in relation to the water line. Best case is you only want about the bottom 1/3 of the blade in the water. And even running whitewater you want to position your craft so that you are pulling yourself out of the worst sitiations, much more power.