The Complete Beginner's Guide to Oars
Imagine the amazement when man first used a stick to propel his waterborne craft along on the water’s surface. One small stroke for man, one giant leap for mankind, as it were. The oars we use today are not too far removed from that original design. The more I learn about boats and boating, the more deeply attuned I have become to the importance of knowing about oars, their use, and their upkeep.
While it takes time to become a competent or competitive oarsman, anyone can become proficient enough to be able to go from point to point, and have fun along the way. It’s a quiet time that is good for observation and introspection, and usually, it need not be too strenuous to be effective.
Being a competent oarsman can mean the difference between life and death. In the winter of 1884, Howard Blackburn and his dorymate, Thomas Welch, were separated from their fishing schooner in a gale. Sensing his limbs numbing from the dreadful cold, Blackburn curled his fingers around the oars and allowed them to freeze in this shape so that he could keep rowing after frostbite set in. He rowed from Burgeo Bank to Newfoundland through a five-day blizzard. Blackburn lost his fingers but survived. Unfortunately, Mr. Welch succumbed along the way.
While this is an extreme example, our own dependence upon gasoline-powered engines now carries growing numbers of us farther and farther out to sea. If you find yourself left in the lifeboat or dinghy, a good set of oars and the ability to use them will greatly increase your chance for survival.
In this guide, we’ll look at oars and oarlocks, and we’ll consider the rudiments of rowing. You’ll see an overview of parts and types and become more familiar with their specific applications. We’ll introduce you to some of the vernacular of rowing, and we’ll even provide some hints on repair. We will not cover canoe or kayak paddling at this time, even though some of the concepts described here carry over to those activities.