Oar counter-weights??

Osprey · 05-25-2006

Hi all, new to the forum and new to rafting.....great site, thanks for the info I've read so far!!

I recently purchased a new oar rig with 10' oars on a 14' raft. Before now I've only been into one man 'toons for fishing. Man those new oars are heavy! What do you guys think of the Cataract oar counter-balances? Are they worth the money or what are some alternatives you all have come up with?

Thanks in advance!

WAVER · 05-25-2006

Counter balances work for sure, I have friends that use them, some store bought, some home made out of machined out round bar stock or heavy wall pipe. THEY love them, personally I enjoy the work out, so it's curls in winter and lots of trips...and my 12 footers just feel..well...right.

ryguy · 05-25-2006

grow some muscle. Those weights make the oars sink when dropped, at lest thats what happened to us on the middle-fork last year.

Bottom of the river quick!

Andy H. · 05-26-2006

Counter balanced oars are great - you can use loop straps as leashes to help keep them with the boat - buckle loop to frame, other loop on oar. If the river's force is enough to pop the oar out of the oar lock, it'll probably bust a plastic fastex buckle too. Also check the oar in still water to make sure it'll still float with the counter balance. I've painted my oar tips safety yellow so I can see them better (and so that kayakers can see them better too) if they come out and are bobbing in an eddy.

--Andy

zbaird · 05-26-2006

first off the oars feel heavy because 10' is a lot of oar for a 14' boat. there is a good share of oar sticking out each side and the narrow fulcrum is not in your favor. counters are nice on long flat paddles or when you want your less than fit friends or your more petite friends to take the oars. problem i have with them are that the oars are dangerous projectiles themselves and i see no need to add a five pound weight to the end of a big stick flying around. floatation is also an issue. when they go in the river they float blade up and they really go deep in holes and such maximizing their chances of jamming on the bottom and never being seen again. they also seem harder to recover

Mut · 05-26-2006

If your frame and oars are matched properly you don't need counter balance. Your frame may be designed wrong. If it is an NRS frame your oar locks are too close to the seat. You need to get smaller oars or a frame that is made properly.

I don't have counterwieghts and my 4 1/2 year old daughter can move them around.

rhm · 05-30-2006

i used to row oar rigs for overnights at a commercial company. i have tried both counterweighted and regular oars. i don't really know why, but i never really liked the counterweighted oars. i think i just eventually got used to the regular ones and stuck with those from then on.

rhm · 05-30-2006

i used to row oar rigs for overnights at a commercial company. i have tried both counterweighted and regular oars. i don't really know why, but i never really liked the counterweighted oars. i think i just eventually got used to the regular ones and stuck with those from then on.

WhiteLightning · 05-30-2006

Don't listen to the people talking about a "better workout" etc. I've used both, and like the couterweights. (I got the Cataract doughnut style ones that screw on, found them half price at a sale). It is more comfortable to row, which allows you to row better and strongly for longer amounts of time. It really doesn't matter THAT much, but a nice thing to have. As for the flotation thing...who cares, you shouldn't be dropping oars in the river anyways, right?

Dave Frank · 06-02-2006

Another vote for weights. Definately get leashes on them either way.
Also really look at how your frame and oars are mounted. I like my towers out as far as they can be with out sticking wider than the rubber and I set the oar fulcrum so that they just miss each other in the middle.

Another thing that I found hard to get right is the tower height. I like them as low as they can be but still keep the oars high enough out of the water when they are on your knees. The lower you can get your seat the lower you can cut your towers. Be careful trimming them. You would not be the frist to cut them too short.

Be safe, Dave