Steering oar, sculling, rowing

imbissfrank · Oct 10, 2006

I met a bunch of young guys on a similar sized boat in Skagen, Denmark, that used sculling oars, and they swore by them at close quarters, or simply maneuvering around a marina/harbor.
Frank Gallardo Jr
sv Cin Cin V 2184
"May the warm air at your back not be your own"

adventureoday23 austin@... wrote:
With all this talk of handling in reverse, has anyone tried a steering
oar? It seems to me that an oar mounted on the transom as a sculling
oar would make a fine low cost addition to the inboard engine to
control the boat while backing. A sculling oar would also make a low
cost alternate means of propulsion. We all know this is what the
Pardey's use. If you have had success with an oar mounted on the
transom, what mounting option worked best?

While we're talking about oars, has anyone mounted oar locks to row
their Vega? You can seen a fine setup where oar locks were mounted in
the winches of a Pearson Ariel
(A Pearson Ariel Page).
"Fair Winds and Following Seas"
sv Cin Cin, V-2184
Frank Gallardo Jr

Vega1447 · Oct 13, 2006

A term often used by a Dutch RYA YM Instructor of my acquaintance..

For what it is worth IMHO there is no problem getting a Vega *into* a
finger berth - when on my own I use a braking spring as suggested by
others - with crew the standard "step ashore with bow & stern line"
method is fine.

The difficulty arises when I am reversing out of berth with finger port
side on - another boat on my stbd side say 100 cm away and wind on my
stbd beam. Once I am clear of the shelter of the boat om my windward
side the bow tends to blow down wind. It would be unwise to use a lot of
power in reverse to gain steerage as I am now crossing a fairway say 30m
wide with a rock breakwater on other side.

I need to turn to stbd to exit the fairway. Again with crew to use warps
there is no problem - on my own I almost always manage it!All the best,

John

Vega 1447 Breakaway

adamtait2002 said in an email sent on 12/10/06 11:30 that:

adamtait2002 · Oct 17, 2006

Hi Austin

Oarlocks are attached through the coaming, aft of the winches, but where the fibreglass is
still *very* thick. The oarlocks themselves are threaded, so mounting was just a question
of drilling the appropriate sized hole through the fibreglass and a thick wooden backing
plate, then adding washer and nut. Backing plate is less for strength reinforcement, and
more to stop any lateral movement of the oarlocks when rowing.

I row Vegabond standing up and facing forwards, fisherman style. Sizing the oars is pretty
easy: Get a couple large lengths of plastic drainpipe and tape your dinghy's oar blade to
the ends for a mockup. The right length will have you rowing with your arms at about
chest height and a chest's width apart (same feel as bench presses in the gym - if that
helps). The ends of the oars should be close, but not crossing, when rowing. The blade,
obviously, should be well in the water; but easy to lift.

Not so obviously, rowing is done one oar then the other. It's *really* easy and all about
inertia

Hope that helps,
Adam V1030

stevebirch2002 · Oct 17, 2006

Hi Adam

Still reckon an engine is easier!

Cheers

Steve Birch (Technical)

adamtait2002 · Oct 18, 2006

Hi Steve

Long time no chat. How's things?

Undoubtedly you are right about the engine being easier, but where's the fun in that?!!

Speak soon. Cheers,
Adam

stevebirch2002 · Oct 18, 2006

Hi Adam

Weher are you now? Still in Espana?

C E

Steve Birch (Technical)