Posted by Alex Forbes on September 24, 2009 at 04:46:21 user Pitsligo.
In Reply to: Re: Picking nits in GN? - now outboards was rowing posted by Robin Marshall on September 23, 2009 at 13:57:23:
Just to be prosaic, did outboards not catch on simply because they were more expensive --purchase, maintenance, and fueling-- than a pair of oars? Anyone with a plane and a spoke shave can create a pair of oars, and a dab of linseed every so often is about the extent of their maintenance, which I imagine would appeal to the likes of Mr. Dixon --along with their intrinsic reliability.