Folding Oarlock Designs?

[Ben M]

My build is progressing nicely now, and it's time for oarlocks. My plans require oarlocks to rise 6" from the gunwale in order to match elevation with the cockpit coaming. For lots of reasons, I think I'd prefer folding oarlocks instead of permanently mounted 6"+ risers.

If you have ideas on how to do this with a very solid, strong oarlock, I'd appreciate your input!

This little boat will likely encounter some fast river water at some point in her life, so a through-pin type fixed-blade oarlock is what I have in mind. I don't want to fuss with blade angle when I'm in a pucker moment.

The traditional horse collar cut out of a board seems prone to failure and doesn't allow for a through-pin oarlock. But, a folding something or other with a socket on top to receive the oarlock pin is what I'm thinking.

How to keep a folding oarlock from flopping over during use?

Thoughts, ideas, designs, etc are welcome.

Thanks!

 

[Pete McMiller]

Ben, yes that type of oarlock is/was common on many of the old BBSBs I have seen plans of. I'll see if I can find a pic someplace.

Imagine the oarlock in the upright position and viewed from aft. It is pinned longitudinally fwd/aft. The inboard bottom edge of the oarlock board (@ 1" thick) is radiused so it can fold down against the deck but when in the upright position is jammed by the outboard non-radiused edge. When in the operating position another stick of wood or metal is jam fit at a 45 degree angle from the oarlock board to the inboard deck to hold the oarlock in position.

I'd bet my next cup of coffee this morning that Steve Sanford is already looking for a pic of one that he did at some point.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Pete~

You nailed me! I have a bunch of my own design - but am waiting for the rain to stop so I can photograph and measure the folding 'locks on a 1950s VanSant Sneakbox that friend Jamie Woods bought at Tuckerton in September.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Ben M]

Thanks, Pete. Very good textual description...very helpful. I suppose one could install a socket on top of a folding board to accept the oarlock pin...

 

[Ben M]

I'll look forward to your post, Mr. Sanford!

 

[Pete McMiller]

Found an old thread on this forum that might help you in addition to what Steve is going to take pics of.

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_threaded;post=79346;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;

This is one reply from that thread that has a bunch of pictures.
http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_threaded;post=79508;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;

 

[Scott Farris]

Am I the only guy who hates the pinned oarlock design? Using pinned oarlocks reduce the oarsman's flexibility - Hand position to make up for different shoulder widths, in ability to feather the oars and the hole through the oar is right at the highest stressed point on the oar. The pin constantly works in the hole so sealing the wood in the hole is essentially impossible. If you want an oarlock that stays on the oar use the ring style. Adding a flanged leather or neoprene sleeve will prevent the oarlock from escaping while still allowing the oars to rotate and be positioned for individual comfort. The elimination of the hole and the protection provided by the sleeve will greatly extend the life of the oars.


My not very appropriate aluminum version of sneak boat folding oarlock mounts, but:

View attachment techoarlocks.jpg

But if you zoom in on the oars in the background you'll see the ring style oarlocks and the neoprene sleeve:

View attachment oarsback.jpg

Best,
Scott

 

[Steve Sanford]

Ben~

At the risk of causing Pete to snort his lunchtime coffee through his nose, I have gathered up some photos for you.

First, these drawings are from p. 154 of Peter Guthorn's The Sea Bright Skiff and other Shore Boats - a volume that should be in the library of every Sneakbox gunner, in my opinion.

Note how he uses the simple cut-out design - but also hinges the support strut.

As Pete M. described, the shape of the bottom of the folding part is important: square outboard but radiused inboard.

Here is the VanSant design:

It looks like he used a hardwood dowel for the pin - rather than bronze or other metal.

A small strut keeps each stanchion upright when rowing...

- and its lanyard keeps it from getting lost.

You could certainly make folding units like these - but install an oarlock socket instead of these or the simple cut-outs.

Since you need tall stanchions - make sure they are an inch or more higher than your coamings so you can get the oar blades up out of tall seas - I would be tempted to laminate them from plywood rather than using a thick piece of hardwood (see my RED-LEG stanchions below).




Some Other Approaches

Although these folding oarlock stanchions are Traditional and Old School, I lean toward simplicity and fewer moving parts.

Short lengths of pipe were used commonly on Long Island Scooters. They served as both stanchion and socket.

These pipe stanchions were made removable - I suppose to hide better when gunning. They passed through the deck and held in a socket fastened to the hull framing.

I fastened these permanently so I could seal the deck opening. The rubber "caps" (feet for kitchen stools) keep water out AND provide a bit of safety if a gunner fell onto them.

They are a handy way to lash the line from the "bog spikes" to the vessel. These pipes were U-bolted to frames below decks.

My stanchions for RED-LEG were tall AND I wanted to put thatch beneath them. So, I laminated them from 3 pieces of AC plywood. I used epoxy as the "glue" for the lamination - and then sealed them with 3 coats of epoxy before painting.

Because they are laminated, I can fasten them with bolts that are shorter then the oarlock socket-to-deck distance.

The hole in the side is a scupper - to let water out of the socket. I could not just run it straight down because the thatch would prevent drainage.

Once I bevel the stanchion, the "cut-off" piece becomes the backer below decks - so the washers and nuts on the carriage bolts will make up square.

Although they do not fold, I cannot believe they will flair any birds.....

I prefer pinned oarlocks - especially bronze. I add "rubber" faucet washers so the oar does not slam itself back and forth within the oarlock horns on each stroke.

This stanchion was made from solid wood (treated lumber - Southern Yellow Pine) - and I bored the socket down through for drainage.

I just made a pair of these for the 2-man layout WHITE-WING - from solid Black Locust. I kept the base solid because it straddles a knee below - and I did not want to lose the strength from that joint.

Note how it is higher than the coamings - so the oar blades could be lifted well above lumpy seas.

No need for the "Dutch Roll" (cross-handed rowing) with the 70-inch beam on this vessel.

This is my first time using these clamp-on oarlocks. The oars are Basswood - NOT Ash as I prefer for working vessels - so I did not dare weaken them by boring a hole for the pin at their fulcrums. They are not galvanized, so I primed them heavily and replaced the plated machine screws with stainless.

Hope this helps!

SJS

 

[Steve Sanford]

Scott~

There seem to be 2 opposing camps in the rowing/gunning world: Feather States and Pinned States?

I grew up learning to row on my Dad's Great South Bay Ice Scooter. Not only were its oars pinned - so I never learned to feather oars - but the boat was so narrow that I had to pull each oar alternately (the Dutch Roll).

I certainly agree about weakening oars by drilling a hole through the fulcrum for a pin. I use Ash oars for such applications. My Spruce oars have leathers and buttons and round locks. Nevertheless - in gunning conditions that include sub-freezing temps, strong winds, ice, darkness and bulky mittens - I like knowing the blades are up-and-down and at the correct length every time I dip them in the water.

In the spirit of helping to heal the divide, I plan to learn how to feather oars this summer when my Sneakbox is up on Champlain.

BTW: Clever design for keeping your stanchions upright!

All the best,

SJS

 

[Ben M]

Mr. Sanford, thank you for that post. Once again, you have not only educated, but even inspired with some great designs, excellent pics, and your characteristic word smithing.

(You don't know it, but I have become a perennial visitor to your site with all its gunning boats and stories.)

You've given me a lot to think about as I figure out my design details here.

Using the cutoff under-deck from the bevel cut on the bottom of the stanchion is simply brilliant. You can certainly mark that little tip as having been stolen. Hahaha...

Thanks again.