I've been saying for years that I wanted to build a sculling oar.
I sold my outboard years ago and have sailed engineless since. Just sails and anchor. No wind situations are rare here, but I have slept aboard waiting for wind to improve. What has prompted me to do something was the crowding of the ramp I used to use, and the protection from wind and long trip out at the best alternative ramp. Ryder's Cove in Chatham has become a zoo. Nasty tourists in their motorboats. The River Road ramp in Orleans is steep enough and deep enough, but the river is narrow and high banks and houses in places block most of the wind. Last season, I towed my CP23 from the ramp with my kayak when wind didn't cooperate on launch day, and made it back all but a few hundred yards under sail on retrieval day.
So now I'm sufficiently motivated to build a sculling oar.
First step was to sketch out some plans.
(http://www.faster-light.net/remote-access/sculling-oar.png)
The oar has to exit at the transom below the stern pulpit rail, but above the tiller and rudder assembly if it is to be centered. I want the rowing position to be forward in the cockpit and the oar about 4 feet above the seats, chest high when standing. The oar then has to bend to meet the waterline, else end up as long as the boat herself. As is, as built, the oar is about 15 feet. The diagram above was the basis for the bending jig.
I decided to build a prototype first and then build the final oar such that it can be broken down into three or four pieces and stored in a cockpit locker.
The prototype is made of cheap knotty spruce, intended for furring strips. It came in 16' lengths, 3-1/2" wide. The lumber yard had only three and practically gave them away. I found one other 2-1/2 " wide piece and that was going to have to be good enough. The pieces were cupped so I ran them through the surfacer a few times and got most of the cup out. The blades are getting dull so I'll need to get them sharpened before the next attempt. The sides were also chewed up, so a few rip cuts on the table saw were needed. This gave me four pieces wide enough but some would be needed for the blade. Two pieces had to be cut into two shorter to get rid of nasty knots.
The glue layup was in three steps. Since the prototype is throwaway (after one season or less testing), I didn't scarf the joints. I used a few butt joints, but managed to avoid a joint near the bend. The first glue up was just two layers. At about 5/8" width after surfacing, a lot of clamp force was needed for the bend. I used marine epoxy, so allowed 48 hours to dry like a rock. Second glue up added a layer and some blade pieces. Third glue up added the rest of the blade and another layer. The third glue up should have been done as two steps, but again taking short cuts.
Next came shaping. I started with the blade end as that is most interesting. Most of the blade shaping was done with a block plane, with some help from a Sureform style rasp. So far I shaped the blade and a little under 1/2 of the oar shaft. Shaping the shaft is mostly done with the rasp and is going quickly, with the result being nicely roundish, but certainly not round.
I took some pics along the way, but still on my camera. I'll post pics later with an update on progress.
Curtis
Way to go, Curtis!
"The biggest problem with sailboats is their motors" (anon quote). I'm with you on this oar. I've been researching the idea w/o much success for a long time. Now, someone who has it figured out is doing it. I'll be following you with great anticipation. (And probably copying you)
Sea ya
Bob
Interesting, I've been wondering if anyone had tried sculling a CP! When I was planning to build a flat-bottomed plywood boat I thought I'd try a yuloh with it, but I wasn't sure how a yuloh would work with a keel. I'll look forward to hearing how it works for you. There's lots of info on the web, actually, but you have to search for "yuloh" to avoid results about rowing a scull.
Quote from: bob lamb on August 15, 2013, 10:19:45 PM
Way to go, Curtis!
"The biggest problem with sailboats is their motors" (anon quote). I'm with you on this oar. I've been researching the idea w/o much success for a long time. Now, someone who has it figured out is doing it. I'll be following you with great anticipation. (And probably copying you)
Sea ya
Bob
Bob,
Don't copy the plan yet. This is a prototype and its purpose is to figure out if the oar works as planned, or if the plan needs minor adjustments. The jig was built to the plan with 8.5x2.5 and 4.5x4.5 parts to it. The oar is slightly shorter since at least at the blade end it can't go all the way to the corner of the jig. After clamps were released, the oar sprung out about 3" which is not bad, give the length.
The rough shaping is done. I have one more day (today) of rough sanding. Then I'll need to fine sand and apply some sort of finish to protect the wood. I may just slap on some epoxy and let the prototype be ugly. If I varnish it would set me back a week in dry times between coats. (Ideas, suggestions on that?)
I may know early next week whether its fine as is, or whether it is too deep (rowing at knee level) or not deep enough (rowing at head level to keep the blade in the water). I'll let you know how it goes.
Photos are still on the camera. Right now its time for me to go make more sawdust (get back to my rough sanding).
Curtis
Anyone ever see or use this:
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=GC%2DSM
Bob23
Todays activities included a lot of sanding. Mostly with 36 grit, then some with 60. That was a success. I won't bother fine sanding. That was followed by making a mess. Not a success. There were two gaps in the blade and I wanted to fill them at least partially by wedging some very thin stock left over from some rip cuts and putting some excess glue in to further fill the gaps. The epoxy was a lot thinner than I expected and leaked out leaving a bunch of runs. Hence the mess. So tomorrow I'll have some scraping or work with the rasp more sanding to get rid of the runs.
Photos uploaded soon. Typing on a tablet at the moment.
Curtis
Some photos.
The blade end after the final glue up, clamps off:
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0814-oar-glue-up-04.jpg)
Out of the clamps before shaping sitting on a pair of 4x4 on the bench (not part of the blade - would be might thick), in front of a CP23 for scale:
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0814-oar-glue-up-06.jpg)
During rough shaping. I was shaping the handle end (you may notice it is squarish) and the cinder block is used to counterweight when I press hard on the sureform. This is first pass of rough shaping.
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0816-oar-rough-shape-06.jpg)
Blade end close ups, top side, then bottom side:
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0816-oar-rough-shape-09.jpg)
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0816-oar-rough-shape-11.jpg)
I have some other photos, but these do a fairly good job of illustrating where I'm going with this project.
Turns out that I didn't take any photos today so I only have photos so far up to the more or less final pass of shaping and the start of sanding when only a first pass sanding on the blade was done.
Curtis
With the org. rudder(al. blade) you could scull to some degree on my CP16 ;D, but with the Ida rudder there is no purchase power side ways, of course the Ida rudder is power steering.............just a few thoughts.....................nies
Yesterday's mishap.
Quote from: curtisv on August 17, 2013, 10:31:20 PM
That was followed by making a mess. Not a success. There were two gaps in the blade and I wanted to fill them at least partially by wedging some very thin stock left over from some rip cuts and putting some excess glue in to further fill the gaps. The epoxy was a lot thinner than I expected and leaked out leaving a bunch of runs. Hence the mess. So tomorrow I'll have some scraping or work with the rasp more sanding to get rid of the runs.
Has been fixed. I could only put in an hour or two today. The fill pieces were a big improvement. The epoxy runs weren't so bad and are mostly sanded off at this point.
A little sanding left to do. Not sure what finish to apply. I'd like something that won't delay further with multiple long dry times, but I do want it to look nice for the rest of this season. (Ideas anyone?)
Curtis
Quote from: nies on August 18, 2013, 09:19:54 AM
With the org. rudder(al. blade) you could scull to some degree on my CP16 ;D, but with the Ida rudder there is no purchase power side ways, of course the Ida rudder is power steering.............just a few thoughts.....................nies
Nies,
Hadn't thought of that. So if this oar doesn't work well all I have to do is put the old aluminum blade back on? Sounds simple enough :)
Curtis
A little sanding left to do. Not sure what finish to apply. I'd like something that won't delay further with multiple long dry times, but I do want it to look nice for the rest of this season. (Ideas anyone?)
The two part polyurethanes (Bristol, Perfection Plus, others I'm sure,) can be used in almost a wet on wet manner, with recoats occurring from one to three hours. I put five coats of Bristol on my wooden parts on a single summer day, then sanded the fifth coat lightly to get rid of imperfections after a 24 hour cure, then one final coat. I think Perfection Plus has a three hour recoat, with a light sand between. Expensive, but can be done much more quickly than marine varnish. I'm not knocked out with Bristols longevity, but I've heard Perfection is more durable.
I think with any of the coatings, you will have to let your epoxy coat cure a few days to eliminate the possibility of blush.
Brackish,
I didn't epoxy coat the oar. The only epoxy that is supposed to be there at this point is at the glue joints. The last epoxy was applied Saturday, so tomorrow should be fine anyway. Thanks for the warning.
I may head to the local West Marine and see if they have Bristol or Perfection Plus. Sounds like it is worth a try. Otherwise I'll varnish.
Curtis
More photos.
Here is the worst part of the epoxy mess after shaping the pieces wedged in place and sanding lightly (to the extent that 36 sandpaper sands lightly). The picture was taken yesterday. I sanded all the epoxy off by now.
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0818-oar-repair-02.jpg)
I took a photo of the sanded oar next to my CP23 for scale comparison. The oar is about 14 feet long.
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0819-oar-sanded-02.jpg)
Tomorrow I should decide what to finish the oar with.
On the other hand -- there is Bob23's notion that "the longer the planning and procrastination step, the better the outcome" so maybe I shouldn't rush to a decision.
I suppose if I'm going to varnish or use Bristol or Perfection Plus, then I'm going to have to use finer sandpaper than the 60 I stopped at. Oh well -- more sanding to be done.
For a prototype I'm spending way to much time on this.
Curtis
This is an interesting project. Where to you plan to carry the oar aboard Remote Access? How about finishing with Armada or Cetol? It will definitely need periodic touch up and either of those is easily touched up.
Can't wait to see how this works.
Bob23
Quote from: Bob23 on August 20, 2013, 02:40:58 AM
This is an interesting project. Where to you plan to carry the oar aboard Remote Access? How about finishing with Armada or Cetol? It will definitely need periodic touch up and either of those is easily touched up.
Can't wait to see how this works.
Bob23
Bob,
Funny you should mention Cetol. I just got finished sanding almost the last of the Cetol off my exterior teak (did the handrails this year). See http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6719.0 (http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6719.0). I have a half can of original (very orange) Cetol, and 1/2 can of (somewhat less orange) Cetol Light. I really don't want to continue to use Cetol. It goes on easy, unlike varnish, but is not all that durable and requires all the work of scraping that varnish does. If I wanted all that work, I'd varnish. Maybe I will varnish my exterior teak someday, but for now its bare wood and teak oil. Needless to say, the bare wood idea doesn't get along with spruce.
I went to West Marine and discussed what I was doing, including that it was a spruce prototype. One of the guys there knew someone that made oars (for his own use). I also know someone who has supervised construction and finishing of a lot of oars for a youth rowing competition (kids make their own rather large boats and row them as teams - sort of like a Viking inspired one design) All seem to favor using epoxy with the 207 hardenner, the clear stuff. Easy to apply, very durable, and looks good on well sanded spruce So tomorrow I sand with finer sandpaper (than 36), and then epoxy. That will happen after I help a neighbor restep his mast (had fitting issues and had to take it down on the water), so maybe tomorrow afternoon, maybe Thursday. This will get done ... eventually.
The other question was about storing the oar. Maybe you don't think it will fit in the cockpit lockers? The photos sure make it look that way. Perhaps that would be a bit tight.
The prototype is one piece. The final version (when/if I get around to that), will be 3-4 pieces. I can't put a joint on a bend, so probably four. The final version when broken into four pieces should fit quite nicely in the cockpit locker.
That only leaves the problem of how to store the 14' one piece prototype. I figure I'll invert it, bring it forward almost to the blade, and tie the handle to the backstay. I think that will work as long as it doesn't interfere with the boom and mainsail. There is a fair amount of room, so it just might work. Otherwise, the side deck lashed to the stancions.
Curtis
Quote from: Bob23 on August 20, 2013, 02:40:58 AM
Where to you plan to carry the oar aboard Remote Access?
The oar seems to fit nicely on the sidedeck. The curve of the oar matches the curve of the hull and it is just short enough to fit. If I didn't know I didn't plan it that way I would never have guessed it from the photo. Darn - I already told you I didn't plan it that way.
(http://localweb.orleans.occnc.com/photos/2013/0826-oar-on-deck-01.jpg)
I am going to need to put some padding on the stancions (foam pipe insulation seems like an option) and tie the oar to the two stancions and also tie it up to the lifelines. That should keep it well out of the way of the furling line and should be out of the way of the jib sheet at least on all but a very close haul sheeted in very tight. I'll take photos tomorrow when I tie up the oar for travel.
Plan as of now is to launch Thursday and try it out. In the water just in time for Labor Day -- another really late start to a sailing season.
Curtis
Don't try to fool us...you planned it that way! Looking forward to the sea trials. Any cool names for your oar?
Bob23
You could name her "Scully"
But I would definitely NOT call her a "Dirty Oar".
Yeah, Labor day is a very late start to sailing season...how'd the oar work out?
Bob23
If a boat's engine is called the Iron Wind, I guess a sculling oar could be named the Spruce Breeze. Doesn't that just sing to you? We await the sea trial report with bated breath, or something like that...
Sounds like a naming contest is on..."Woodwind". Gretchen gave me the inspiration...thanks, G!
Bob23
How about;
The LASS - Long A%% Swizzle Stick
Ol' Oarnery
Lincoln - a great "oar"ator
Numbscull
1CP-XLS (One Curtis Power extra long shaft)
Wooden Knots
No. 1 Wood Sail
Knotty Knots
The Old Wooden Outboard
Gentle Knots
Twitching Stick
Bentwood Sail
Or my personal favorite, Blist"oar"
You're up Bob.
Mike
Hoo boy, Mike has really upped the ante!
Okay, a CP gets most power from the jib, and the yuloh is used when there's no wind, and at the back of the boat...
Stern Jib
Wooden Kicker
Go-stick
Tagalong - or maybe that's a better dinghy name?
Auxil-oary
old hick-oary
one oar the other
oar the ramparts
either oar
O solo me oar
I know when I've met my match!
How about Knot-a-mota? Or from the slightly off color department: Paddle Me?
I notice that Curtis has been mysterious silent in this name game. Either he has moved to a different country, is laughing too hard to post, or regretting that he started this naming movement: has cut his Spruce Goose into firewood. Nah....he's too busy trying to scull his 23 into Boston Harbor. Doesn't the tide kinda rip through there, C?
Bob23
"LORAPD" Long Range Pizza Board?
Curtis, I really want to know how the oar worked out, please come back and tell us! We won't make up any more names, though Woodwind is really quite pretty... Of course, for Remote Access, maybe you should call it Thumb Drive.
Now Wait a minute, Bob 23.
"Spruce Goose" is SACRED. (Used to work for Hughes Aircraft Co...) Though it has my Number 1 vote. Harrrr. You guys are cracking mesef up. "Dirty 'Oar" is my second.
Did you guys mention "Skullduggery" by chance?
Obviously I need to read the CP forum more often. Quite a thread on naming the oar. No woodie jokes -- that's good. (Lets keep it that way please).
I kinda like woodwind since my daughter is a music teacher and her main instrument is the flute. "When the wind dies haul out the woodwind" sounds OK. ("Haul out the woodie" is not OK).
Conditions have been good for sailing but less than ideal for trying out a sculling oar. I think the oar works OK but I'm not at all good at sculling yet. The only time I tried it was after launching.
After launching I used a long line to go from ramp to dock (a ways and deep hence the line). I then continued to set up, putting the boom in place, bending on sails, etc.
Then leaving the dock I tried the sculling oar. There was light tidal current and light wind. I had some time to think about which way I would tilt the oar and which way to pull harder to turn. I was pleasantly surprised that my fumbling with the oar produced a backward motion (the direction I wanted to head in) and pulling harder on one side yielded a gradual turn in the direction I wanted to go.
Having done that I was a bit more out into the tidal current which was moderate but there. I started to scull forward and turn the other way. This worked OK for a while. Then I was fully in the current and as I rounded the first bend had a light wind at the nose, wanting to push off course. This worked OK for a bit but I had to change which side I was pulling harder on a few times and got completely confused about the whole sculling thing. I pulled really hard a few times on the wrong side and sent us into the weeds (eelgrass) and lightly aground.
One of my crew/guests, Laura, jumped out to push us off, but the trusty sculling oar in hand seemed extremely well suited for that pushing off job so she could climb back in (after we put the ladder down).
We put up sails and decided that conditions were not good for trying the sculling oar. It is intended to be used in absence of wind. We had wind on the nose. We were in a current. I planned the launch time to be in a following current. But perhaps worst of all it was narrow and I didn't really have the hang of sculling yet.
So off we sailed with dinghy secured to a bow cleat and off to the starboard side with fenders out for it. My friend Ron uncleated the dink and brought the painter back to the cockpit and handed the line to his daughter Laura. So began the misadventures of Salty the Maine Salty dinghy, but that is another story. Laura is apparently not good with knots. I was busy short tacking in a narrow space and explaining to Laura and her significant other Steve the whole Ready About - Ready - Hard Alee thing and telling them when to release sheets on a tack and hen to sheet in on the other side. They asked to be part of the process. Next time I looked back Salty was nowhere to be found and I decided to return later and search the tall eelgrass for Salty.
Since then I've sailing in 10-15 knots which is great for sailing but is not good for sculling practice. If I go out in light wind in the next few days I'll try the oar again and give a more definitive report.
So far -- oar seams to work but not sure how well -- oarsman is a bit incompetent but hopefully will improve.
Curtis
ps - definitely a nice decoration though. I got a lot of comments from perfect strangers on the cool sculling oar. ... and a hearty thumbs up and smile on tacking upwind in The Narrows.
If "Woodwind" is chosen, I promise to split the $1000 prize with Gretchen!
Curt: It would be cool to see a video of the oar in action.
Bob23
Bob,
Quote from: Bob23 on September 06, 2013, 06:06:59 PM
If "Woodwind" is chosen, I promise to split the $1000 prize with Gretchen!
Curt: It would be cool to see a video of the oar in action.
Bob23
You and Gretchen are sending me $1,000? Wow that's great! Thanks.
Hasn't been good rowing conditions lately. Went out today in reported conditions of 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. That's plenty of wind to fill the sails. The wifey went along. It was her idea! It was ... um ... amusing. Worth another thread.
Not sure how to hold the camera and row at the same time. Maybe I should take someone with me?
I need to get better at rowing first unless you want a video for its humor value.
Curtis
Still no video yet but I did try the sculling oar again about a week ago.
My neighbor Ron reported that Pleasant Bay was flat calm and wanted to go kayaking. I agreed but wanted to try the sculling oar first.
When we got to the beach, flat calm was gone. The breeze had piped up to maybe 5-6 knots.
I would have preferred less wind, given that the purpose of the oar is for use if it goes dead calm. We tried the oar anyway, casting off the mooring and attempting to head into the wind. Once again, I had to deal with the problem that knowing which side to pull harder on to get a turn in a given direction is not instinctive. When we were headed straight, I made slow progress. When the wind pushed the bow off, often I'd pull the oar the wrong way and put uf further off and then loss forward progress while getting us headed into the wind. By the time we got about 60 feet to windward I had the hang of it but Ron was wanting to go kayaking.
Turning around and heading downwind was easy. In fact I had to row backwards to stay stationary and turn. I headed us downwind and then circled back to windward. By this time I had the hang of it and was mostly turning in the direction I wanted to go in. I came up about 20 feet downwind of the mooring and brought us up to the mooring slowly but steadily.
I've figured out a few things, some of which will change the way I build the next oar. It is more comfortable to row at a bit over waist high than chest high. The right stop is in the middle somewhere, a bit lower than middle. The oar had too much leverage and too much range of motion in the cockpit. The rowing position needs to be moved aft. Both of these are accomplished by moving the point where the oar is mounted forward on the oar. With the temporary arrangement I now have that means sliding a knot forward. Another thing I need is a more secure "oar lock" than the set of lines I have. At the very least, while I'm experimenting I need to tighten things up so the "oar lock" movement takes a lot less power out of the stroke. When I build another oar I'll put the bend further forward and make it a less radical bend. I may make a stern pulpit mounted temporary oar lock from wood if the knot arrangement continues to not work as well as it should. I should also not trail two kayaks off the sides or trail them far enough forward that I don't have to limit the stroke to keep from bumping one or the other.
Yesterday was a perfect day to try again, with very light winds in the 2-3 knot range occasionally dying almost completely. Instead I took a leisurely sail. The next two days might be OK. Great light air sailing but maybe not light enough to play with the sculling oar. I really need under 10 knots and preferably well under 5 knots which doesn't happen a lot around here.
I've proven to myself that if it does go dead calm, I can move the boat slowly with the sculling oar. Right now I'm trying to improve from snails pace to a bit more reasonable speed.
Curtis
Oh yeah. One other thing.
The boom and mainsheets are a little bit in the way, but by hooking the boom to that annoying backstay hook (good for something I suppose), it is enough out of the way to row. Standing on a cockpit seat and falling into the cockpit sole well while rowing can be a problem. Moving the oar back shortens the stroke in the cockpit and mostly solves that. Offsetting the oar to one side is something I'd like to try in which case it can be mounted lower and I can stand in the cockpit well. The boom might be in the way then. Only way to find out if it is workable is to try it. Of course adding a traveller and mid boom sheeting would solve the boom and mainsheet problems but that project is still down a ways on the to-do-list.
Curtis
Very cool, Curtis:
I wonder if you could support the boom with a topping lift, raise it above level for head clearance and pull it off to one side, securing with 2 lines to keep it from swinging. Sounds like your project is a success.
I like the motions of rowing. As you know, I row an Alden Ocean Shell and an Adirondack Guideboat. With either boat, the reactions to waves, wind and boat wake become almost subconscious. It's great fun and rewarding to move a vessel with just your muscle power, although I don't know how far I'd be able to row a 23. We rarely get days down here where the wind is that light.
Congrats on a succesful project! When does my $1000.00 prize money arrive!?
Bob23
Bob,
A topping lift would work. I have a boomkicker and if you lift the boom too far up the boomkicker falls out of the slot on the boom end. Easing the sheet (a lot) and pulling the boom to one side might also work without raising it might also work since the boomkicker keeps the boom from dropping.
So far I'd call this a partial success at best. While the boat does move, it is very slow. Unless improvement to my very poor rowing technique makes a lot of improvement this would fall far short of expectations. One important goal is to be able to more gracefully get my boat to and from the boat ramp for the annual launch and retrieve if the wind doesn't cooperate. Wouldn't you know it that the one launch where I want to try this out we have wind the whole way up The River to the ramp and we can't test it.
This morning we had some rain. This afternoon we had the weather clear and the wind die to almost dead calm. Too bad I was not on my boat. I was on a safety boat at a sunfish regatta and the sunfish sailors didn't care for the almost dead air that the last few finishers experienced at what would end up being the last race. Three races were enough. After everyone got to the club the wind went to dead in places, barely there in others. Would have been good to practice sculling if I were on the right body of water and wanted to head out to my boat. (OTOH, only three miles drive to my house, so I could have gone out).
BTW- I've had some pretty good excuses to not sail in the last few days. Not that I wouldn't rather sail than do just about anything else, but as excuses go these are unique. I'll post in Off Topic later.
Don't worry about the prize money Bob. I'll give you plenty of time to get the prize money together and send it my way. No rush.
Curtis
Thanks Curtis...what a guy.
The 23 is a heavy boat to scull or row. I remember rowing my Seapearl 21. The entire boat weighed 600 lbs. and I used 9 1/2' fir oars that were as heavy as they were strong. No problem when there was no wind or tide but go into a little of either and it was a lot of work. Fun work, but still work just the same. Without opposing wind or tide I could make about 2 to 3 knots. I bet it would have sculled just fine.
I wonder about pedal power for the boat. With the right prop and gearing, it might be an efficient way to move a 23. I'd imagine a very large, slow turning prop. It's all in the gearing, one might say. With proper gearing, you could move a dump truck with a lawn mower engine.
Bob23
As to that excuse to not go sailing and try the sculling oar again see http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6815.0 (http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6815.0).
Sunday after the regatta was maybe a good time to test the sculling oar. After the storm front passed through we had a period of near dead calm (with patches of dead calm). But there was this issue about the sun going down.
Curtis
Hmm, I don't think I actually signed on to Bob23's prize money suggestion! But anyway the reports on the sculling oar project were very informative and I appreciate the follow-up. Methinks my puny 100-lbs will not move the CP-16 at all without wind or mechanical assistance. Back to the trolling motor idea...
Au contraire... it has nothing to do with your weight...more of a leverage issue. I'm sure you could scull your 16! Remember, the 16 weighs about 1/3 of the 23!
Bob23
I used to row my Catalina 27 (7000 lbs)We can do it. Just takes patience and the right conditions. I use my sweeps all the time- does anyone else?
BTW I am following your project with great interest Curtis.
Oaring a 16? First thing after purchase and in the water:
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/com-pac%2016%20pics/BaBaLeLe/Rowingtoslip.jpg)
Granted, not having a boom in the way made it a bit easier. ;)
A good paddle is Plan C for propulsion, even a telescoping one would work okay. Had to fight a small tidal current during this first "sail." Before the trolling motor this was Plan B, used several times at the dock to get in and out without enough wind. Admittedly, much easier with a second person to help steer.
According to the Admiral, while the Captain gets the tiller 99% of the time, under these conditions, I'm the engine... Can't wait for the deckhands to get older.
-Justin
Quote from: GretchenG on October 18, 2013, 12:40:17 PM
Hmm, I don't think I actually signed on to Bob23's prize money suggestion! But anyway the reports on the sculling oar project were very informative and I appreciate the follow-up. Methinks my puny 100-lbs will not move the CP-16 at all without wind or mechanical assistance. Back to the trolling motor idea...
In one of the Lin and Larry Pardy book Larry talks about building a sculling oar for his 30' (20,000 lbs I think) heavy displacement cruiser. He claims Lin gets a sustained 2 1/2 or 3 knots (I forget which).
Lin isn't much bigger and was in her 60s when that was written.
Curtis
I'm still waiting for a no wind day to try out the sculling oar. This morning almost qualified, but the wind picked up. I went out single handed. Met up with the sea scout sailing a catboat and sailed with them a while. Got to be "background" in someone's wedding photos I think. Ended the day with six others on board (not from the wedding). Perhaps a story for another thread.
Curtis
Okay, I'll keep the faith!