oarlocks

gaelforce · 13 September 2004, 17:28

the options of back up for a single engine failure seem to me to be:

1. 2 engines (same fuel? same battery? reduced efficiency? high cost?)

2. small back-up engine (better but clumsy, dont fancy attaching it in a panic

3. paddling like crazy hawaii 5 -oh style

What do ye think of extendable light paddles attached to oarlocks mounted on sponsons uses as you sit backwards on jockey seat?

Louise · 13 September 2004, 17:31

The Solent and, I think, certain other areas of the south English coast is covered by an organisation called Seastart which is like the AA or RAC for boat owners. Not sure if you have anything similar in Ireland though! I think the web address is www.seastart.co.uk

Edit: re your edit - I guess whether this is a realistic option or not depends on several factors, e.g. boat size/weight, distance offshore, weather/tidal conditions, fitness of rower(s). I reckon it might be OK in a boat your size, in favourable conditions and not too far offshore!

gaelforce · 13 September 2004, 17:36

Thanks Louise, by the time they got out to me I'd have drifted to the US Coast Guard area! I spend most of my time between 50yards to 1 mile offshore and though the rowing could be hard, I'd FEEL more comfortable knowing I could tip in bit by bit if needs be.

Louise · 13 September 2004, 17:39

If you can easily, safely and cheaply make any necessary modifications then, yeah, you might as well go for it! Anything that means you feel safer and are less likely to need external assistance has got to be a good idea, IMHO. If you go ahead, do let us know how you get on with any mods.

Erin · 13 September 2004, 17:42

Don't want to spoil your enthusiasm, but I very much doubt you'd be able to row a 5.2m boat back to shore if there was even just a bit of tide and wind against you.

gaelforce · 13 September 2004, 17:49

fair comment, i wouldn't put in an olympic qualifying time but i spent years rowing currachs and if i could make slow progress i'd get there. very little current in big wide 100ft galway Bay, wind usually w - sw blowing back to shore

Scary Des · 13 September 2004, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Don't want to spoil your enthusiasm, but I very much doubt you'd be able to row a 5.2m boat back to shore if there was even just a bit of tide and wind against you.

You are right up to a point, sure you can’t row into the wind and tide but you can change your direction. My boat has a couple of paddles and we can move it on a still day. Having said that it is hard work.
Des

Erin · 13 September 2004, 20:08

I've not actually ever tried it myself, but alot of the old local fisherman scull their dinghys. By this I mean they have a rowlock or slot in the transom and use one paddle and move it side to side, I suppose a little bit like the tail of a fish works.

So maybe sculling might be an option if if you have wind in your favour, no tide and all you need is a bit of directional control.

roohairy · 14 September 2004, 02:55

I've twice had the misfortune

to have to row a 4m rescue rib fitted with oarlocks, both times in a river with 3 knot current. I'd normally expect to row a 4m boat easily, but rowing this thing is just horrible. There was no way I could even maintain my position, just guide my progress (?) as Des says.
The tubes are not stiff enough to support the oar properly, even with the rowlock mounted on a 8" long piece of stiff plastic bonded to the tube, with even moderate force the rowlock twists forward and the oar tries to jump out the top. Better than nothing in a small boat where a standby engine is not possible especially if you're on your own, I'm afraid that you'll have limited success on a larger boat. If you do go ahead, try to fit a fully enclosed ring of some kind that the oat cannot jump out of.
If you want a pic of the arrangement on this boat let me know and i'll post it after Hurrican Ivan has passed through, if we still have the boat!

timboli · 14 September 2004, 05:21

The sheerpin went on my 3.5 on the back of a 10 ft rib,with my wife and seven year old son as passengers,proper rowlocks and oars in a slight chop across the wind,I made it but it was very hard work,it was a half mile stretch and I had to crab cross it trying to keep the bow towards the wind which kept blowing off,certanly wouldnt fancy rowing in anything bigger!!

mstacey · 14 September 2004, 08:05

Tried 'paddling ' mine once with two people, got knowhere in the current.

Just carry enough rope , chain and anchor to stay put, perhaps a sea anchor and call for assistance. At least if you are safely afloat and can stay in around the same place , (outside of the shipping channel) somebody can come and get you.

jwalker · 14 September 2004, 11:51

How about sticking a big paddle out over the transom and skulling it. Fishes' tails seem to work fine.

Brian · 14 September 2004, 12:04

I have "sailed" a 5m Zodiac by using a boothook, a mop and my boat cover. Fortunately the wind was blowing roughly in the right direction.
Interesting experience (luckily I was only in Poole Harbour) after an engine breakdown.
A sight less energetic than rowing.

Spookily quiet though!

Mr-d · 14 September 2004, 14:09

My little boat has oars on it as standard, they cant fall off/out but at high speed (when forgetting to secure the back end) they sometimes tend to go for a walk, suddenly hitting the water at 15 knots etc... Dont forget to secure them so they cant jump out of their seat..

it has a circle with a little cut missing, and a hole with a little pin in it... the oars can only come off when you twist them inside towards the middle (which is highly unpractical to do when your on the boat...)

Since my boat is small, i dont really fancy shoving an extra outboard on the back.... it would probably sink it...

Once tied down (at the moment i am using yellow cord for it, which is a pain.. im hoping to get some elastic cord...) you can even hold on to them!
Picture.

gaelforce · 14 September 2004, 15:43

thanks for the replies, surely the best of which was Brian's. If you break down, just sail the thing home. Brilliant - now why didn't I think of that?

Brian · 14 September 2004, 17:08

Blimey. Didn't expect my post to be received quite that well.
So, just to add a little more.
1. You can set the sail either across the boat or along it.
2, You can then alter it's angle slightly.
3. You can (if you have enough "hands" on board) also use the outboard as an additional aid to steering.
Not tried all this out extensively you understand, but theory says, if you have sufficient wind, not much current or waves against you, you can make modest progress in the direction you want. And under these conditions are you really in a hurry? Or just glad to be making progress?