Rowing instructions

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Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Thu Sep 01, 2016 4:46 pm

Someone emailed me this morning asking for pictures and description of rowing the DS. I inadvertantly deleted it. Dumb. Hoping they will find this forum, here's what I would have sent:
First, the oars in use:
2154
Next, a picture showing placement of the oarlocks in line with the main swivel, and placement of the seat just aft of the jib cams. The seats are removable, but in fact, we leave them bolted in place all the time:
cockpitSm.jpg
cockpitSm.jpg (156.7 KiB) Viewed 13800 times

Finally, a detail of the photo above, illustrating the oarlock reinforcement. After drilling holes for the oarlock bolts, I placed compression tubes inside the coaming so the bolts wouldn't crush the fiberglass when the nuts were tightened. The tubes were cut from heavy electrical conduit. I also glopped epoxy putty around the tubes to further reinforce the hull, but that may have been unnecessary and needless weight.
oarlockDetailLabel.jpg
oarlockDetailLabel.jpg (121.3 KiB) Viewed 13800 times

The oars are 8 1/2 feet, and fit inside the cockpit, held against the sides by straps with Fastex buckles.

Note that this whole design is based on the premise of occasional use of the oars for short distances. A priority was making the oars minimally intrusive on sailing. The seat was intended to approximate the thwarts that come as standard on the DS I and on the new Cape Cod DS. A more aggressive rowing system would put a sliding seat on tracks anchored to the CB trunk or tanks, with an adjustable footrest aft of the CB trunk.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby GreenLake » Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:27 pm

I like your setup.

Having some thwarts is oddly convenient. As would be the addition of a similar seat across the rear of the cockpit.

In light winds it gives crew additional places to put their weight to fine-tune the balance of the boat. If not going upwind, allows crew to sit facing forward or facing aft - on longer passages, that makes a big difference. Same for the helm if you mount some seat there.

Some people drill holes for cupholders into them. Structurally that makes no big difference, and if placed right, should still allow one person to sit in the center for rowing.

Speaking of structure: the thwarts in the DS1 keep the CB trunk from moving (although the walls may flex, but that's a separate issue). They also keep the boat from "opening/closing" under load.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:15 am

Yes, I thought we would only use the seats for rowing, but once they were in place, we decided the boat worked better. It occurs to me that over the years, we have stumbled onto most of the modifications that have been incorporated into the currently-built Cape Cod Day Sailer. If we hadn't bought a larger boat that now consumes most of our time and money, I would be thinking about putting in a poop deck. I think that's the last remaining structural difference. I found a guy on the SailNet site who has actually built one.

I feel bad about deleting the email from the guy asking for rowing advice. If anyone out there knows who it might be, extend my apologies and ask him to resend.

--Talbot
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby jeadstx » Fri Sep 02, 2016 3:17 am

I have my oar locks in approximately the same location. I bought new oars this spring that are 8.5' long, made a big difference in ease of rowing over my shorter 7' oars I was using. The new oars have aluminum shafts and the blade is detachable to make stowing easier. At 8.5' they fit in the cockpit assembled. My rowing seat is a board that spans the cockpit in the same location as your thwarts. I may consider again installing thwarts. On distance sailing and sometimes racing I end up sitting or kneeling straddling the CB trunk. Sitting on a thwart I think might be better.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Fri Sep 02, 2016 1:37 pm

John, what brand of aluminum oars did you get?

I've considered Carlisle, a favorite around here among whitewater rafters. I wondered if I could get their 7' oar inside the cabin with the blade removed to carry as a spare. In any case, I've never quite been able to digest the price of Carlisles, considering how rarely I row the boat. Maybe if I upgraded my system I would use it more, and actually get a little exercise.

The DS rows pretty well, despite it's weight and girth. One day I was launching off a beach under oars, along with another boater in a sleek hand-built wooden skiff. To my surprise, the DS passed him. I guess it had to do with the hull design and the long oars, and maybe the momentum once my heavy craft got under way. Trust me, it didn't have anything to do with the rower's strength or skill.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby Baysailer » Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:03 pm

Talbot,

It's been a while since you've joined us and it looks like you got another Daysailer, welcome back.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:30 pm

Actually, we've had the same Day Sailer since 2007. We just added a second boat a few weeks ago, which has absorbed all available resources. But it's a keel boat moored in a seasonal flood control lake, so it has to go to the yard in a couple of weeks. Then it's back to trailer sailing.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby jeadstx » Sat Sep 03, 2016 3:03 am

Talbot, I went with Carlisle oars. http://store.carlislepaddles.com/catego ... fting_Oars . I bought the "extra heavy duty" oars. I probably didn't need to, but I planned to use the oars on both my Day Sailer II and my Mariner and I thought the heavier shaft would work better for the Mariner. I can't remember if I can get the shafts in the cuddy cabin with the head detached. With the head detached however, the shafts store a lot easier in the cockpit. I haven't gotten the extension piece yet for the use with the Mariner. I like the idea of the detachable head. I have thought of getting a shorter paddle type shaft so I could use the same head as a paddle as well to provide greater versatility.

Rowing the DS with the new oars is a lot easier than my wooden oars. The head has a wider blade. I definitely think they will pay for themselves in less maintenance or replacement over the wood oars.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Sat Sep 03, 2016 12:39 pm

Mainly, you're unlikely to break them.
But make sure you are using top quality oarlocks to match the new shafts. I had an oarlock break one time as I was trying to pull the boat off a lee shore. Very embarrassing. People on land said they were impressed by my creative use of language.
Last edited by talbot on Sun Sep 04, 2016 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby GreenLake » Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:33 pm

I had a plastic oarlock break on me while being swept out by the outgoing tide with no wind (not in a DS).

Less colorful language, but quick use of the painter to create a rope-loop substitute for the oarlock. Not as efficient, but it got us home...
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby jeadstx » Sun Sep 04, 2016 3:41 am

I've had an oar lock break. Don't remember if there was colorful language, but as I was drifting into traffic my crew was amazed how fast I jury rigged things. I got heavier oar locks when I got the new oars.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
jeadstx
 
Posts: 1216
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:10 am
Location: Dripping Springs, Tx

Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Sun Sep 04, 2016 2:38 pm

I think the main thing isn't the weight of the oarlock, but the material. You could probably buy massive fittings of pot metal that would still be suspect. My current oarlocks (and the fittings they attach to on the boat) are stainless steel. I believe some commercial products are made of manganese bronze.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby jeadstx » Mon Sep 05, 2016 1:20 am

I had one of the bronze type break. My new ones are stainless steel.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
jeadstx
 
Posts: 1216
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:10 am
Location: Dripping Springs, Tx

Re: Rowing instructions

Postby 1987DSPrecision » Sat Sep 17, 2016 10:38 pm

I like this setup.

Anyone find a way to do something similar on a DS1?
The DS1 doesnt have that extra raised coaming.
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Re: Rowing instructions

Postby talbot » Sat Sep 17, 2016 11:15 pm

Does the Precision DS have the sloping deck angled away from the cockpit?

If so, maybe you could use what's called a "top socket." The fitting consists of a metal plate that mounts flat to the deck, with a well that goes below the deck and accepts the oarlock shaft. (What I have in the picture is a side socket. There are also edge sockets that mount on the corner of the gunwale.)

You would still cut an inspection port in the vertical side of the cockpit to see what's in there and to reinforce the oarlock. Also, you would need to use the inspection port if you wanted to anchor the shaft of the oarlock with a cotter pin. And you would have to plug the socket while sailing to keep water from getting into the bilge.

On the other hand, I rarely bother to pin my own oarlock shafts, and a top socket is the least-obtrusive installation in terms of how the boat looks.
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