Finely, A Workable Rowing Station (I Hope)

[Bluenose]

I have been working on an easy to use, workable rowing station to use when the wind and my sailing skills aren't great enough for me to sail. On my last boat, the old Bluenose Sloop, I had a terrible rowing station. I faced aft rowing a single, poorly mounted (on the coaming) oar and steered the tiller with my toe. Needless to say, there was a huge incentive to find ways to sail in light air.

Since Bolero was basically a clean sheet of paper, I put a lot of time and though into coming up with a great rowing station. I am now on my 4th or 5th iteration, but I think I may have it.

My plan all along was to row standing up with a single deck mounted oarlock.



With that in mind Tim installed and bedded a pair of stout oar sockets adjacent to the toe rails on both sides.



I decided on a Carlisle 2 piece river rafting oar for ease of storage. Each piece stores nicely under the cockpit side decks ready at a long moments notice.

After a number of iterations that seemed to work but wouldn't fit in the storage under deck or would rub the coaming, I ended up with this.



I really like how well the oar stores on deck when not in use. This was one of the reasons that I decided on cabintop winches instead of the traditional side deck mount.

The oar lock is a hybrid combining the upper part of a clamp on oar lock with the base of a 5/8 inch custom turned (to match the 1/2 inch socket) bronze bottom. I found this stand off idea from some photos of old rowing boats and I needed the elevation to miss hitting the top of the coaming.



Even though the oar lock standoff allows me to clear the coaming pretty well, I still leathered the oar to protect the varnish on the top of the coaming.



I still have the oar mounted to far outboard. I think I will move it in 12 to 18 inches. This will allow me to row two handed and the oar will be better balanced.



I had meant to row around the bay today to perform a final checkout but of course the stormy wind wasn't cooperative. Even though I don't quite have the mounting quite right, rowing at the mooring felt easy. My thought is that in wind to light for Bolero to sail, I should be able to row at about 1 to 1 1/2 kt easily. And for a short time at 2 kts. I will update when I get a chance.

Cheers, Bill

[Hirilondë]

Can you feather with those row locks? I think rowing is a great no wind option for your boat. Might take a little ooomph to get going, but you will likely be able to keep a fair momentum up once you do.

[Bluenose]

Can you feather with those row locks? I think rowing is a great no wind option for your boat. Might take a little ooomph to get going, but you will likely be able to keep a fair momentum up once you do.

Dave,

No I can't feather with this setup which is fine since I have never learned the technique. My plan is to have a really, really nice rowing station that I never use. So hopefully my rowing technique will stay at its current level of incompetence.

Although I haven't rowed Bolero yet, I did paddle her with half of my oar and she was quite easy to move about. I actually think that for some close quarters work paddling might be the best way. In any event the Pardey's sculled their boats both of which are at least twice the displacement and presented a "bit" more profile to the wind than Bolero.

My thoughts are that I will use the oar to help navigate currents in very light wind. Either by rowing through passes during slack or to keep Bolero centered when the current is going my way (which I try to plan for). Obviously I won't be doing much rowing against a strong current, but I did occasionally "row-sail" my way against a strong current to get out of our bay with the old Bluenose.

Bill

edit: I noticed that you sail a Pearson Renegade. I would likely never have gone down this road of rowing and sailing without the experiences of Jay Fitzgerald and his engineless Renegade. He was always finding a way to make his sail better and faster. I don't think he liked rowing much either :).

[Hirilondë]

No I can't feather with this setup which is fine since I have never learned the technique. My plan is to have a really, really nice rowing station that I never use. So hopefully my rowing technique will stay at its current level of incompetence.

ROFL That's an honest answer if I ever heard one.

I did my first year on my Renegade with an outboard that never worked. It wasn't much of an issue with me, but my boss didn't like me sailing through the tight field of Hinckley 52s, Concordia 39s, 40s and 31 then up to my dock space nested amongst other boats of equal value with no motor. It turns out that my wife likes knowing we can get into the next port when cruising before night fall consistently as well. So I now have a reliable engine.

I row quite well. I learned at the age of 11 from a Brown Crew member. I can even skull with a little proficiency, but wouldn't want to have to on my Renegade. But rowing is an option, and I am glad to see someone exploring it. For a daysailer that would have its looks ruined by an outboard hanging off the stern, I think you have made a wise choice. I would still want to be able to feather though :)

[Bluenose]

but my boss didn't like me sailing through the tight field of Hinckley 52s, Concordia 39s, 40s and 31

I'm having a hard time visualizing your mooring field. Got any pictures :)

Okay, since I am on an honesty (read ignorance) roll. What would feathering an oar add in a situation like mine?

Bill

[BALANCE]

Nothing except being a showoff.

[Bluenose]

So I got to row a bit today, maybe a couple hundred yard until I could fine a tiny bit of wind. The oar worked pretty well. I still need to figure out the whole ballet of rowing and steering but I think it is going to work out. Pretty easy to get to 1 kt. Gets there pretty quick as well. Anything more would be difficult but I don't really know yet. Even the smallest breath of wind will tempt me into sailing again.

The oar storage along the side decks worked great. We actually sailed a mile home to the mooring with it stored along the side deck and didn't notice it was there.

Bill

[bcooke]

What would feathering an oar add in a situation like mine?

Nothing except being a showoff.

It would reduce the impact of catching a crab. Since you are on the 'wrong' side of the oar you wouldn't get swept off the deck but that is still a big stick in the water that is going to run away from you in a hurry. I suppose you won't be rowing in much of a chop so there isn't too much danger as long as you are paying attention.

More importantly, nothing screams incompetant amateur faster than rowing without feathering. Its a simple skill that I find highly annoying when it is absent. There is just no reason for it. Its like sailing on a beam reach with the sails trimmed in tight. Makes me want to wretch every time I see it.

I wouldn't give up on the sculling option yet either. Rowing is probably best for powering around but sculling is easier to get underway with control. Minor details of course.

How long was your oar again?

[Duncan]

...Even the smallest breath of wind will tempt me into sailing again...

That's the spirit! I did several days of engineless sailing last summer (waiting for parts), and they were the best days I had all summer.

With respect to feathering, it's a bit more graceful and efficient, so the more you row, the more it matters.
For short bouts, it doesn't make a lot of difference.

It's certainly not a necessity, but it's a pleasant refinement you could look forward to, if you end up rowing a lot.
As an example, as a wilderness canoer, I know that good technique can be more enjoyable and less tiring when I'm paddling all day long.

The main thing is that feathering saves you effort at the beginning and the end of the stroke, where the stroke is at a less efficient angle. You can compensate by taking shorter strokes, keeping the oar in the middle of the stroke where it does the most good. Long strokes without feathering tire you out more, without propelling you forward as much.

Your installation looks very nice.

[BALANCE]

Feathering has it's place for sure. In this case, the oars are at such a greater angle from his body to the water, I would think it would be impossible to feather properly, second, the poor guy is also probably steering with his knees. It's just a different application. In a vessel low in the water it certainly makes the whole process of rowing less tiring and more efficient. If I understand Bluenose's application - it's a means of propulsion in case he looses the wind. Either way, feather or not, the oar is basically out of the water - how is it going to catch a crab?

[Bluenose]

Wow, thanks for all the feedback. Who would have thought a topic as essoteric as rowing a sailboat would peak some interest.

It would reduce the impact of catching a crab. Since you are on the 'wrong' side of the oar you wouldn't get swept off the deck but that is still a big stick in the water that is going to run away from you in a hurry. I suppose you won't be rowing in much of a chop so there isn't too much danger as long as you are paying attention.

More importantly, nothing screams incompetant amateur faster than rowing without feathering. Its a simple skill that I find highly annoying when it is absent. There is just no reason for it. Its like sailing on a beam reach with the sails trimmed in tight. Makes me want to wretch every time I see it.

I wouldn't give up on the sculling option yet either. Rowing is probably best for powering around but sculling is easier to get underway with control. Minor details of course.

How long was your oar again?

Britton,

Thanks for jumping in here. The oar I am using is 9 ft long. If by sculling you mean a single oar off the stern, I have given it some thought but I don't quite know how it would work on a boat with such long overhanges (the stern is 7 1/2 ft from the cockpit).

In my short row, I did notice the effect of "catching a crab" and this is not necessarily the final rowing configuration. It is just the first one that works.

I am of two minds on this topic. One is that I want to enthusiastically maintain my "screaming incompetent amateur" rowing abilities as it "forces" me to hone my very light air sailing skills. But the other side is that this is a part of the boat and should work as well as all other parts. In addition longer journeys may very well need extreme rowing proficiency.

Feathering has it's place for sure. In this case, the oars are at such a greater angle from his body to the water, I would think it would be impossible to feather properly, second, the poor guy is also probably steering with his knees. It's just a different application. In a vessel low in the water it certainly makes the whole process of rowing less tiring and more efficient. If I understand Bluenose's application - it's a means of propulsion in case he looses the wind. Either way, feather or not, the oar is basically out of the water - how is it going to catch a crab?

Yes, I am also trying to steer with my knees. And trim the main for any puff of wind. But I am certainly not poor as I am on the water.

I am trying to balance efficient rowing with a system that is quick and easy to use. And often rowing will not get my full attention.

Anyway thanks for the advice and insight. Gives me much to think about.

Cheers, Bill

[bcooke]

I hadn't thought about those long overhangs. Sculling (one oar) I guess wouldn't be a really viable option unless you had a side mount and then it starts getting unnecessarily complicated.

how is it going to catch a crab?

"Catching a crab" is slang for hitting the water on the backstroke due to sloppy technique or a wave coming up to meet the oar. When contacting the water with a feathered blade it will cut (relatively) smoothly into the water. Even if it isn't angled perfectly inline to the direction of travel it will tend to skip off the water. With the blade in the 'power' position when it hits the water the oar gets yanked back in the opposite direction. When sitting facing aft this means the handle comes forward at considerable force and often knocks you flat or out of the boat. As Dave can attest, on a race boat the oar comes back REALLY hard and can be very painful and disruptive to the entire crew and boat. (I only really row dories and dinghies and such) Now when facing forward the handle would move away from you and the only really pain would be the embarrassment of having the handle shoot out of your hands and clatter on the deck or fall over the side if not secured.

How about two oars? I used to show off at Outward Bound by rowing a 30' (2000#) pulling boat with a 14 foot sweep in each hand. I looked mighty impressive I tell you. I wouldn't try to get much farther than between the mooring and the dock though. Too tiring (whew!). It was all I could do to keep the sweat off my face and make it look easy.

Really though, a couple of carbon fiber ten foot oars might be okay.

Someday I want to toy with an oar. That comes sometime after I actually get the boat launched again though.

[Bluenose]

I had the "opportunity" to row for about 3 miles and it was "comfortable" to maintain and average of about 1 1/2 kts rowing or 2+ kts row-sailing. I doubt many will go this path but I thought I would summarize this thread with my rowing experience.

Oh, it's a perfectly acceptable replacement for the rowing machine at the gym and about as much fun.

[Hirilondë]

Oh, it a perfectly acceptable replacement for the rowing machine at the gym and about as much fun.

Which outboard did you choose?