Free or oar rights for rowing?

[carvedog]

Originally Posted by pearen

Getting back on topic...

I just got off the South Salmon and EFSF and rowed both without rights. Recall from an earlier post, I learned to row without, but have been running rights for the past couple of seasons on my cat.

Running without was just like riding a bike. It came back instantly with no loss in performance. Basically, I really enjoyed the freedom and feeling of being without rights again. It was great with one major caveat...

Surfing without rights sucks! That control stroke where you only engage half of your blade in the green water does not work without rights. No matter how strong your wrists are you can't hold the blade vertical on strong fast waves. I found myself spinning off the big powerful waves, where with rights I would have been able to carve back and forth across the face.

So, if you need rights to know where your blade is, then maybe they are training wheels. But, if you know where your blade is and just can't keep it there, then maybe they are more like depends...

He Who Dances on Water and Logs comes up with the best reason to ever have oar rights. Good point. I don't surf my Willi 2 very much but in a cat I can see it.

[lhowemt]

Originally Posted by pearen

where with rights I would have been able to carve back and forth across the face.

You're making me droooool! Someday surely I'll be there, instead of just getting punted out. Have you ever seen Dave Becker surf? smooth operator!

[GoodTimes]

I know I'm comin' in late on this one........but I learned on pins/clips, spent the first 12 years of my rowing experience on them, pops and g-pops LOVED them, it's all I knew.

When I finally bucked "family tradition" and went with locks (much shit-getting)....I could NEVER imagine going back.

BUT, I was quite used to putting the oar in the water and not having to worry about feathering....it was always "right". Soooooo....oar rights felt better for me when I started out on locks. And I'll almost always use oar rights when I'm on more challenging runs.......not that I'm concerned about strength or feathering or whatever....I just want to limit mistakes.

I do like without rights on easier trips/floats

Pearen's right......surfing without is a B$%$H!!!

[Wirednoodle]

Has anyone tried the convertible oar rights?
Oar Right: Oar Rights

[mania]

Originally Posted by Wirednoodle

Has anyone tried the convertible oar rights?
Oar Right: Oar Rights

so its like this where you can move them out of the way?



sweet!

disclaimer: In all fairness I know some very good class V oarsmen/women who use clips although I prefer open on V it really is not the equipment it's the boater but I like to poke a little fun!

[lhowemt]

Originally Posted by mania

disclaimer: In all fairness I know some very good class V oarsmen/women who use clips although I prefer open on V it really is not the equipment it's the boater but I like to poke a little fun!

You just can't pull off "disclaimers" anymore since your avatar became a skinless monster on fire. EWWWW! That gives a whole new meaning to "flaming" someone.