Oars for a BR17

[Anthony Huggett]

I'm having a nightmare getting some oars for my BR17. I bought a pair of Lahna 10ft from Norfolk Marine, with collars. Turned out that Lahna have changed the diameter of the shaft for the 10 ft (300cm) oars only to 47mm +-1, so 44mm collars won't fit (not with any amount of hot water and soap). Norfolk Marine have (so far) failed to resolve this problem, so I contacted Lahna.
Apparently they have just started producing these and the UK distributors aren't aware of the change, so don't carry 47mm collars. Lahna sold me a pair of 47 mm collars direct from their Finnish factory, which with some force fit the 48 mm oar. Now I come to put them on the boat, the collar makes the oar too wide for the rowlock!

The bottom line is if you are buying oars over 9 ft length, be very sure about the shaft diameter.
I now have to try to source some rowlocks which will accommodate the fat oars, or buy some thinner oars. I'd like to spare others the same inconvenience and expense.

[Graham W]

Anthony,

It's a similar issue with the BR20.  If you source suitable oars for racing (11ft at the front, 12ft amidships), the oarlocks will probably need to be completely different to the standard stainless ones, much larger with wider pins.  Having bored out the holes in the wooden oarlock bases to accommodate these changes, you probably won't want to cruise around with a cockpit full of giant oars all the time.  However, reverting to the standard 9ft matchsticks will need a set of smaller oarlocks that have a wider pin than standard, to fit the now wider holes in the oarlock bases. It's do-able but needs loads of research on the interweb (I sourced my smaller ones from Germany), plus deep pockets.

Anyone need some surplus standard stainless oarlocks?

[Anthony Huggett]

Graham, good point about the rowlocks. You can get wider than 50 mm, but they have a 13.5 mm shaft rather than a 12 mm, which would mean ...

i)   Heating the existing rowlock bases ones to epoxy softening temperature.
ii)  Drifting out the existing 16 mm pipe.
iii) Finding some stainless pipe with a 13.5 mm internal diameter.
iv) Cutting said pipe to length
v)  Drilling out the holes in the wood rowlock positions to accomodate the new pipes.
vi) Inserting and gluing said pipes.
vii) Trying to make good the varnish job.

It's easier to buy another set of oars (which I have now ordered. Plastimo 10 ft, 45mm shaft)!  So if anyone wants a pair of 47mm shaft Lahna 300 cm (10 ft oars), unused, with collars fitted, please make me an offer.   

[Graham W]

I've taken advantage of Jonathan's change to the fifth category of forum subjects to offer for sale various pairs of oars and oarlocks.  And a 2.5hp outboard for those for whom rowing is all a bit too much.

[David Hudson]

Gotta(n) SUP paddle

[Anthony Huggett]

All I can say is don't buy the Plastimos! Having checked with Marine Megastore before they shipped them that the collars would fit a 51 mm rowlock, they arrived with collars (buttons) which need at least 61 mm.

[Tony]

I'm surprised at all this. When replacing my 9' oars (good for manouvering - hopeless for anything else ) I just specified length and the boat's beam and Plastimo did the rest. 
Btw. If, unlike myself, you are seriously competitive in sail and oar events, forget straight bladed oars. Spend the money and get CF racing sculls. (Borrow a pair first to make sure the difference they make is worth the high price. )

[Julian Swindell]

I'm going to be smug here. You can actually make your own oars. I made a 7ft 6in pair for my dinghy last year, using six floor boards from B & Q and the description on how to do it in Pete Cullers book on boat building. It was surprisingly easy, very satisfying, and when I tried them out last week for the first time, they actually worked!

[Tony]

Nice looking oars, Julian. Proper job. I might have a go myself if I'm ever allowed 7' of room in my garage! I had it built to keep the boat in but it's been taken over by squatters. Boxes and boxes of stuff from "Take That" memorabia (eldest daughter's) to domestic gear from youngest's flat when she went travelling  - plus lumps of stone which wife intends to sculpt at some unspecified date in the future. 
I think I possibly need assertiveness training.....er...what do you think?

[Graham W]

All I can say is don't buy the Plastimos! Having checked with Marine Megastore before they shipped them that the collars would fit a 51 mm rowlock, they arrived with collars (buttons) which need at least 61 mm.

They must have changed the specification - my 9ft Plastimo oars (which incidentally are still for sale ) have collars which are just over 50mm in diameter.  On the other hand, Marine Megastore is on my list of online chandlers to be avoided, despite their low prices.

[Anthony Huggett]

The Lahna collar for a 44/45 mm shaft is perfect on a Bayraider 50/51 mm rowlock.  But Plastimo's own brand collars if you buy them already on the oars are 8mm thick, so the oars are 61mm diameter!

Graham, from my experience I can well understand why you don't use Marine Megastore. Have you (or anyone else) mentioned your reasons to the RYA? The RYA are currently carrying a promotion for MM which I don't think is acting in the best interests of their membership. If enough members make the same point, they might not do so in future. 

[Graham W]

It's so long since Marine Megastore appalled me with their atrocious service that I can't remember the specifics any more.  It was something to do with much-needed goods being allegedly in stock and money immediately being taken.  The goods were obviously on back order and I was lied to about it.  It seems that little has changed - see https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.marinemegastore.com and http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews258336.html

Although it's not obvious, I think Waveline Marine in Morpeth are part of the same group and share the same attitude to customer service.  They're also on my list of ugly chandlers.

If you get a certain reputation, why not change your name?  Apparently, these are some of their other aliases:
http://www.forcechandlery.com/
http://www.direct-chandlery.com/
http://www.nautical-gifts.co.uk/
http://www.nauticalbookstore.com/ (website account suspended)

You can see their reassuringly "mega" warehouse here! http://www.instantstreetview.com/@55.161763,-1.669681,80.8h,-10.1p,1z

[Graham W]

I've now found the specifics about my Marine Megastore order, which was at the beginning of February 2011.  It was as I remembered - only when I threatened to retrieve my money through VISA did I get a proper response.  Something similar happened with a Waveline order in 2013.

You have been warned!

[Anthony Huggett]

That list of aliases is interesting. It looks a bit like they are sniffing around the name spaces of their more reputable competition: Marine Superstore (who are in Port Solent) and Force 4 Chandlery.

[Graham W]

Continuing way off topic, here are six more mega-ugly relatives:
http://www.seaquipmarine.com
http://www.vetusmarineshop.co.uk
http://www.marine-chandlery.com
http://www.budgetchandlery.com
http://www.talamexleisure.com
http://www.marine-deals.com

The last one is a clearing house for excess stock from chandlers around the country but judging from the stock's location, appears to have only one organisation on its books.  No prizes for guessing which one.

The only other chandler on my ugly list is Duncan Yacht Chandlers of Glasgow.  I bought a well-priced inflatable dinghy from them in 2013 that took far too long to arrive and then when it did it was faulty.  It then took too long to get a replacement, including missed collection and delivery dates.  Fulfillment had been subcontracted to a company called Seaswift in Devon and I felt that having taken my money, Duncans washed their hands of the problem.  This business model may sound familiar - by curious coincidence, the Duncans online shop shares the same IP address with Waveline and Talamex (above).

The moral of all this is that if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.