Sculling Oars (yuloh)

Perry Solheim

Perry Solheim

.
Feb 9, 2016
3
Ranger Ranger 28 Durango, CO
Anyone build/install a sculling oar (yuloh, actually) on their full keel boat? Worth it? (I'm a woodworker, among my many hobbies and have a large well equipped shop, except for a lathe that I could use to build a wooden oar with...).

I'm looking for tips on where to locate the oar lock (can't be close to center because of the tiller and rudder, but my IF is also very narrow so if I get too far to the starboard, I run the risk of banging the life line stanchions...)

If you use one, how far do you tend to move the oar back and forth? How much space should I allow? Also, does the line that attaches to the deck need to be directly below the center of the oar, in line with the oar lock?

Thanks for the help. I'm excited to be in the forum and actually have a boat to ask real questions about.
 
Ukeluthier

Ukeluthier

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Jan 7, 2015
77
Menger 19 Catboat Annapolis, MD
I don't have your answers, Perry, but I'm also interested in a yuloh as back-up propulsion for my little catboat. I too have the woodworking skills and shop to easily build one.

Looking forward to having someone with some practical experience chime in.
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,220
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I think you'll find lots of experience and help with diesel mechanics but not so much with a sculling oar! But you never know ... give it some time!
 
Ukeluthier

Ukeluthier

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Jan 7, 2015
77
Menger 19 Catboat Annapolis, MD
P
Scott T-Bird said:
I think you'll find lots of experience and help with diesel mechanics but not so much with a sculling oar! But you never know ... give it some time!
Click to expand
Problem is, diesel mechanics generally aren't aboard when the auxiliary quits on a windless Chesapeake day. I'm pretty good with a wrench myself and keep my auxiliary well-maintained, but I'm a self-reliant "belt-and-suspenders" man who thinks a low-tech back-up makes sense for a smallish boat. I keep a canoe paddle in one of the cockpit lockers, but that doesn't cut it for any significant distance.

I suspect there are a few more of us Luddites out there. :wink:
 
Perry Solheim

Perry Solheim

.
Feb 9, 2016
3
Ranger Ranger 28 Durango, CO
Ukeluthier said:
P

Problem is, diesel mechanics generally aren't aboard when the auxiliary quits on a windless Chesapeake day. I'm pretty good with a wrench myself and keep my auxiliary well-maintained, but I'm a self-reliant "belt-and-suspenders" man who thinks a low-tech back-up makes sense for a smallish boat. I keep a canoe paddle in one of the cockpit lockers, but that doesn't cut it for any significant distance.

I suspect there are a few more of us Luddites out there. :wink:
Click to expand
I'm a Luddite with schizophrenia. Not so big on the internal combustion engine (although if Mr. Diesel hadn't ended up face down after a certain World's Fair our planet would be a heck of a lot better off), but all for where we are headed with lighter and more efficient electricity storage. It's hard to be a dedicated Luddite when there's just so much cool stuff out there...

I'll post stuff I find on the yuloh. I've seen a number of things about building and using them, but very little on mounting and sizing.

Tight lines, fair winds, and glassy seas...

Perry
 
TAK

TAK

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Nov 29, 2009
47
Beneteau 381 Punta Gorda
My experience using a single sculling oar dates back to about 1973-75 when I taught Rowing Merit Badge at a BSA camp in northern Wis. However that was on a 16 foot rowboat. You will want the oar lock mounted off center but on a rowboat that was primarily for balance, on our boat probably enough to clear the rudder and tiller is fine. Your range of motion is probably limited to an arm length plus a little more if you lean into it. Not sure what you mean by the line that attaches to the deck? Our sculling oar lock was a U shape and the oar had a leather wrap about 8 inches with a leather collar that helped keep the oar from slipping down the oar lock. I have also seen some type of loop on the oar that fit over a post on the stern rather than using an oar lock. I did a quick google search (images) and saw a variety of ways to hold the oar in place. One pix of a ~25 foot sailboat looked like the captain was using a small telephone pole. There is also some YouTube videos of folks facing aft and working the heck out of the oar with both hands. The proper position is feet planted firmly on the deck, facing the side with the forward foot pointing somewhat in the direction of travel. Your aft hand working the oar and the forward hand holding your favorite adult beverage. Don’t forget to send pictures of the oar and a video of you gliding effortlessly through an anchorage.
 
Ukeluthier

Ukeluthier

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Jan 7, 2015
77
Menger 19 Catboat Annapolis, MD
brazenarticle said:
check out this article for some info on making and using a yuloh
http://triloboats.blogspot.com/2012/04/windless-running-on-grits.html
Click to expand
Some good stuff there, especially the link to "Some thoughts on the yuloh" in the comments. Thanks.

My cockpit locker is six feet long, so I need to make a yuloh that will break down into two pieces that will fit. A strong joint that doesn't require too much overlap of the pieces will be an interesting engineering challenge. I have dual boom crutch mounts that are very strong already, so I can use the free one to mount the oarlock on either side.

Two knots would be great as one seldom encounters tidal currents that strong in the central Chesapeake.
 
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