School me on drift boat oars

[Matt M]

So last winter I bought a used ’99 Hyde 14’6″ glass drift boat.

[Jay Hake]

I personally don’t really want too much flex, but the counter-balancing is key.

[Gordon Hight]

Just picked up a set of Sawyer shoal cut oars with the carbon wrap and counter-balance. Super light and move a lot of water. They’ve been great on the South Fork of the Snake.

[Joel Thompson]

Absolutely, Matt. I have Sawyer Dynalites and hate rowing anything else. They will save your shoulders a lot of pain and suffering. Be prepared to spend some money when you upgrade as they don’t give good sticks away but I think they are worth every penny. I have them for my drift boat and my raft.

Joel

[Rick Marcum]

The upgrade is absolutely worth it!

[Mark Schafer]

When I had my raft I used Sawyer MX-G counterbalanced oars with the Fir wood blades and it made a hugh difference)

First off Rick I’m glad you made the upgrade to the sticks before you sold the raft to me I really like the as well, and did anyone else notice Rick’s change of location. I’m going to miss seeing pictures of those Michigan browns you put up. Good luck with the new venture, and if anyone needs fishy design work done I can highly recommend Rick’s work.

[Michael Phillippe]

I have a pair of Gull wood oars which I just refinished and rewrapped. Does anyone have a suggestion for how to get the rubber oar lock stops back on the new wrap? Unfortunately I think the answer is to find someone half my age and with twice the hand strength.

[Steve K.]

Michael…I’ve got the same oars. I seem to remember heating the rubber stops in scalding hot water and coating the wraps with some dishwasing detergent. It was still a tough job. I’m thinking of going with some of those “Oar Rights” or whatever they are called.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1404

[Michael Phillippe]

Steve, I looked at the oar rights a couple times. Mentioned them to my son (the MT fishing guide) last week and he mumbled something like “learn to row” and “they have no place on a wood driftboat.” Obviously, I’m now shamed into trying to get my rubber stops back on.

[Joel Thompson]

Steve, I looked at the oar rights a couple times. Mentioned them to my son (the MT fishing guide) last week and he mumbled something like “learn to row” and “they have no place on a wood driftboat.” Obviously, I’m now shamed into trying to get my rubber stops back on.

Michael, I agree 100% with your son. You will be able to do a lot more strokes and be a better rower as a result.

JT

[Adam McDowell]

Steve, I looked at the oar rights a couple times. Mentioned them to my son (the MT fishing guide) last week and he mumbled something like “learn to row” and “they have no place on a wood driftboat.” Obviously, I’m now shamed into trying to get my rubber stops back on.

Michael, I agree 100% with your son. You will be able to do a lot more strokes and be a better rower as a result.

JT

Haha! I kept them on for my wife!

They make feathering in shallow water near impossible.

I had a set of the Premier diamond blade wood shaft oars on my skiff before I sold it and i loved them.

[Allan Dozier]

A thousand times no on the oar rights.

I plan on living forever, so far so good.

[Michael Phillippe]

Steve – the boiling water and soap did it! I had used that technique on both the grips and the new tip guards but just never thought of boiling the oar stops. Thanks!

[Steve K.]

I’ve got to do mine now 🙂

[George F.]

A thousand times no on the oar rights.  

This is how I fish.

[Steve K.]

A thousand times no on the oar rights.  

This is how I fish.  Float downstream looking for “targets”.  See a nice fish get in position, drop anchor.  Drop into casting position by letting line out.  Of course the more line you release (scope) the more the boat will drift side to side.

Here is the important part.  Allow both oars to drop into the water.  They will both come to rest against the side of the boat and you now have two rudders, thanks to the oar-right keeping the blades vertical.  The boat tracks nicely in the moving water while you catch that big guy.

For the type of fishing I do, I don’t know how I could live without the Oar Rights.  Now if I was not stopping and positioning on fish in moving water, that would be something else.  But they are an essential component in how I chase fish.

Well said G! That’s exactly how I fish…primarily because I’m alone except for the dog 🙂 If I turn the oarblades vertical….no side-to-side drifting….but they eventually work their way to horizontal….and I start side-to-side again.

So maybe oar rights will work for my application???

[Michael Phillippe]

G. Force, Since you aren’t using your name or specifying where you live/fish I can’t comment on your personal situation.

I fish the upper Delaware River with precisely the technique you describe. That’s one I was considering reason I was contemplating or rights. But, since I’ve been (easily) shamed into tradition, I’ll just have to pay more attention to my oars. 😉

[George F.]

G. Force, Since you aren’t using your name or specifying where you live/fish I can’t comment on your personal situation.

I fish the upper Delaware River with precisely the technique you describe. That’s one I was considering reason I was contemplating or rights. But, since I’ve been (easily) shamed into tradition, I’ll just have to pay more attention to my oars. 😉

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[Allan Dozier]

I almost always leave my oars out and dangling downstream when anchored and it seems to work fine without oar rights.

I plan on living forever, so far so good.

[Michael Phillippe]

George – I’ll be the guy in the red wooden drift boat – with my Gull oars wobbling in the current. Give me a shout if you go by!

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