2 sheets of vertical-grain wood, 8 feet by
¾ or 1 inch (see: Choose Your Wood)
1 plywood board for blades (50 inches long by 12 inches wide)
1 quart of epoxy
Oarlock wrap
1 small can of varnish
Choose your Wood
The best wood for these oars is spruce. It's light and stiff, which produces a slightly flexible oar. Other softwoods such as fir and pine and hardwoods like ash and oak work well, but they are heavier and often better suited for riverboat use. For blades, use hardwood (plywood works well) from 1/8- to ¼-inch thick.
You can't row, row, row your boat without sturdy oars.
Apr 1, 2008
Rowing a boat takes more than just grabbing a pair of oars. Fitting oars of the proper size and weight to a boat means experimenting with blade area, weight and flexibility. Specific boats need specific oars.
That's why this oar design is universal. It's for the amateur woodworker, but the plans can be adjusted to change the length (from 5 feet to 10 feet), the weight (based on the wood type) and the blade design.
Before you begin, however, figure out the kind of oar
you need to maximize the speed and
maneuverability of your boat. Faster, lighter boats require longer, lighter oars, while heavier boats need shorter, more rigid oars.
You can simplify construction and material selection by laminating and shaping the shaft separately and adding the plywood blades afterward. This lets you interchange a variety of blade sizes and shapes on the shaft,
depending on conditions. Blades can easily be repaired or replaced after hard wear. To remove and replace a blade, simply cut off the edges, trim with a block plane and glue a new blade onto the shaft. By using epoxy no screws or nails are necessary.
1. Start with the shaft
The shaft is built up by laminating a pair of ¾- or 1-inch-thick boards together with epoxy. The glue line between the two boards will serve as a handy reference point when shaping the shaft. Two ¾-inch boards are sufficient for lightweight oars of 8 feet or less-longer oars might require slightly thicker pieces of wood.
2. Cut the shaft
Using a straightedge, draw the centerline of the shaft. Measure out from the centerline on either side to your desired width (usually about 2 inches total) and draw the shaft outline. Use a ballpoint pen for clarity. Now, carefully cut just outside the line with a band saw or jigsaw. Once the shaft is cut, trim to the line with a block plane.
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