Posted by JLabaree on June 02, 2007 at 02:06:28 from 74.75.131.157 user JLabaree.
In Reply to: Re: Kerwallop...and candle grease posted by Elizabeth on June 01, 2007 at 14:50:16:
Fair enough, Elizabeth! I don't mean to sound snobbish. It's just that rowing is such a genuine pleasure and a wonderful part of that experience is feathering your oars – that is, bringing the blades parallel to the water on the backstroke rather than perpendicular to it (as it is under the water). As your rotate your wrists at the end of the stroke, it lifts the oars out of that water, sending them hovering just above the surface. A slight rotation again at the end of the backstroke gives you just the right angle to slip them into the water again.
Pins through the oars, while useful for keeping the oars from sliding in the water (hence why fishermen may favor them so they can snatch their tackle at a moment’s notice), prevent the delicate art of feathering. Even when the blade is in the water, a slight rotation keeps the pressure of the oar slightly down against the oarlock (or against the hull and pin) helps prevent the oar from popping out – a common problem for beginners and, as I know from experience, an extremely frustrating (and sometimes painful) experience. As you get used to it, that angle will vary depending on conditions.
So, I’m not trying to be condescending, but rather I hope others will experience the joy (and serenity, as odd as it sounds) of rowing – a thrill that you just can’t know with oars that won’t pivot.
- Jonathan