Hi Mele, The Southeast Asians use a skulling oar to propel their crafts where there is no gasoline. The oar is about 8 to 12 feet long, rests in a notch or oarlock on the transom and is tethered to an eye set in the bottom of the boat. The wrist movement is one of a skulling oar, side to side with a slight flexing of the wrist. The downward force of the water on the blade tends to make the oar handle rise but the rope tether in the middle of the oar shaft attached to the cockpit floor takes care of that so all you have to do is push the oar away from you and back with a slight flex of the wrist. Take a couple of days practicing your timing around the boat dock and you will develop all the skill you will need. After that it is only a matter of strengthening the muscles used. It is really fun, actually. You might even serenade your sweetie while swaying from side to side skulling, like the Venetian boatmen do in Venice, Italy. I imagine you could mount an oar lock in the outboard notch on your transom and stand comfortably in your cockpit and skull with your left hand. That would give the oar a good angle of attack with the surface of the ocean. The oarlock should be open topped to facilitate shipping and unshipping the oar. The downward thrust of the water on the blade and the tether on the boat end will keep it securely in the oarlock. Personally while standing in an eight foot work boat with a six foot oar I skulled the boat against a 10 knot breeze while towing a 30 foot sailboat across a good sized inlet so the power is there in skulling. Be sure also to try the movement in choppy water since the boat motion will affect how you handle the oar in that instance. Good luck. Don't know which is more likely, an outboard stalling or an oar breaking, though a spare oar would be easier to replace at a moment's notice. Having scuba dived in Hawaii, I would not want to run my 17 up onto a coral head. You are a brave soul for facing that possibility on a regular basis. Fair winds, and currents, Tom B Montgomery 17, #258 On Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 8:49 PM, <seable@lava.net> wrote:
Howzit from Kaneohe Bay?
I’m dangerously close to splashing my restored ‘91 M17 and have options for AUX power; but must wonder if anyone has thought to / or successfully applied oars & locks to the cockpit combings. Or even a transom sweep??? Just checking! We just need to clear our lee shore reef, before we can sail to weather and beyond.
Best ideas will be rewarded with an invitation to come over and crew!
AloooHa! Mele Kalikimaka e Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Philipp @ SE’ABLE 808- 247-8497
seable@lava.net