repairing an oarlock

W

wis boz

Well-known member
Last November hunting I tore the oarlock out of my duck boat, that and a damaged motor ended being stranded for over 9 hours. Anyway, to repair it West Marine suggested a flexible epoxy which I tried. I drove to a small lake close by to test it and the first tug on the oar and it came loose. So much for that flexible epoxy! It has been suggested that I go with Bondo. ( The boat is a composite) Any suggestions from you boat people? My wife suggests buying a new boat?
wis boz
 
bondo is 100% cosmetic....it provides NO sturctural strenght or integrity......its for appearance only.....

Can't tell you how to fix it but I can tell you that bondo isn't the way to go...

Sorry to beak the rule.....

Steve
 
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but I assume you're talking about the mount for the oarlock? The drift boat companies make pre-drilled delrin blocks specifically for this. I use them and you don't need a bushing. Eventually they'll wear out if you row your guts out but I doubt that'll happen in a duck boat. If you need more info let me know.
 
Do you mean the oar lock socket or raised block the socket is set in?You could bolt it through the deck,with a backing block under the deck.
 
Lee:
A picture would give a clear idea of what I'm talking about but I still haven't figured out how to post one???
wis boz
 
Steve:
What is this---I KNOW I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK TO YOU-----BUT? Did I snap your garter at some time? I value your opinion and don't feel bondo is the way to go either.
wis boz
 
Jay:
The boat is a Ted Williams "Gamefisher" made by Sears years ago. It suit my needs and has for many years and I would like to get a few more years out of it. It's a hard shell covered with some type of composite material and the oar lock is built right into the side wall---just a tube for the oar pin to fit into. I have a metal insert I purchased made for a metal boat that I want to fasten to the hole made in the old oar lock. I don't know if that gives you a picture or not. Some day I'll take the time to figure out how to post a picture.
wis boz
 
Boz-

Without a picture I'm not exactly sure, but I'm assuming there's a raised "block" on your deck with a socket in it for the oarlock. Correct? And the socket is what broke out? Or the whole block?

If it's the socket, I'd get one of those recessed oarlock socket that is basically a 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" plate with a hole and bushing molded into the middle of it. Tear out the old socket, and use a router or grinder to recess in for the plate. Then drill down through the deck for the mounting screws, but fender washers on the bottom, and seat the whole thing in with 3M 5200 Caulk.

If the whole "block" is broken, I'd look at maybe just switching over to the standard oar sockets that screw into the edge of your deck.

There again, I'm just guessing on the configuration of your boat and what's needed.

Good luck,
Kirk Sherbine
 
I believe what we have here is a failure to communicate:^) It's all in the terminology.The oarlock is only the part that the oar rests in,ie horn,round,pin/horn,and clamp-on.That goes into a socket,usually metal.The socket can be mounted on the rail,deck,or raised block.Your boat may have a integral portion that the socket is mounted in, that has cracked.Fiberglass tape and epoxy should fix that,I would hope.We want to help,so let's keep at it.
 
I don't know the boat, but I'd be inclined to put a backing plate on it if you have access to the back. Otherwise I think it will keep getting damaged.

Charlie
 
Jim, is the boat fiberglass or polyethelene(sp?) I've seen some Sears boats that were plastic instead of glass. Email me some pics of the damage..top and bottom and I can try to post them up here. You will probably have to sand through any shiny stuff and layer glass and epoxy or glass and the stuff you get at the auto supply and put a metal plate on the back side.
 
Just to clarify what I was talking about. The first photos shows a factory installed teflon oar block which requires no bushing because it's slick.

oarblockattached.jpg


The second photo shows how I mounted them on my Lund for occasionall use while fishing rivers-I use a 9.5 ft oar by the why and it works great...rows better in the current with the keel and all than I ever expected...but I digress. I used some luan that was painted with auto primer for shims and they've held up for 3 years under moderate use. Using spacers on the pin of the oar lock sets the angle right. This is a fairly wide boat so I don't need the rise on the oar that I would on a narrower boat....say a Sear's Gamefisher for example.

IMG_4413.jpg


Thirdly, this is the '91 Clackacraft I've been using. As you can see some Yooper of a Montanan used some good hard oak to make his oarblocks(or maybe that's a factory job-though the black tape is indicative of non-engineer type thinking which I enjoy immensely). Now, there are bushings in the oak that go in at the top, otherwise you'll squeek and probably eventually crack the wood.

oarlockclack.jpg


In my opinion, cutting off whatever you have and using either oak or the fancy shmanztzee teflon(what I referred to as delrin)to make new oar blocks makes a helluva a lot of sense. The oak may be a good option for the gamefisher because the blocks are like $20 bucks and in my opinion....if you're gonna spend $50 you may as well get a new boat. Your wife all but OK'd it!!!!

If you scroll down the page of the link you'll see the teflon oar blocks. http://store.hydeoutdoors.com/?c=oars
 
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Joe:
I certaintly didn't make it clear but I emailed Lee and he said he would post for all to see.
The socket as you say was the damaged part. I still have leathers and the ring with insertion pin on all my oars. They (the oars) are easier to feather going against a strong wind and current which the Mississippi gives us at times. New isn't always better.
wis boz
 
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