Mounting oarlocks

Builder's Forum
1

Hi all,

Having mounted the rails/gunnells on my Chester Yawl, I have begun to give some thought to the mounting of the oarlocks.

Screws from the interior through the #6 plank and in to the gunnel look fine. Screw holes from the top down seem to line up right at the intersection of the edge of plank #6 and the gunnel, not exactly solid wood. I know that some have mounted risers for oarlocks. Little is said about this in the directions.

I would appreciate all thoughts on mounting oarlocks. I want them to be functional, not break under pressure from rowing, and be pleasing to the eye.

Thanks,

DaveJ

 

2

   Thanks for the input. My friend directed me to the CLC page on oarlock risers https://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-gear/oars/oarlock-risers.html. Turns out that a pair were included in my kit, nicely stored in a bag out of sight.

Thanks CLC.

DaveJ

3

Yeah, we also ordered an extra pair of risers with our PMD kit for the forward rowing station.  The Chester Yawl may want two extra pair, depending on whether you ever mean to set her up for optional tandem rowing, but I should think you'd want at least one additional pair to set up a rowing position located forward of amidships if you ever mean to row with a single passenger aft.  One pair will get you by for solo rowing or with additional bodies or load which can balance things out fore and aft around a solo oarsman.

.....Michael

4

The photos in the Chester Yawl gallery seem to show the boats with oarlock risers.  Seems a good idea to me, and one which worked out well for our Passagemaker Dinghy.

.....Michael

5

Using screws alone to secure such an important fixture as oarlocks would leave me Very Uncomfortable at anything beyond a crawling pace. To my thinking they deserve one's attention when choosing fasteners, my choice being through-bolting whever and wherever possible. And that after undertaking a study of how best to impart sufficient supportive blocking to best spread the propulsive forces being imparted by the oars into the hull.  

6

(Forum really needs an Edit function... shouldabeenan 'n' up there 'twixt an 'e' and it's following 'v'.)

7

   Point taken, Michael.

Thanks all

DaveJ