Oars Flattened to Make Rowing Easier
When rowing a small boat, we were bothered by the turning of the oars in the locks, so that the blade of the oar was not in proper position to take the water. We overcame this by planing off slightly one side of the oar, so that when this surface was against the lock, the blade was in the correct position to catch the water. It is unnecessary to grip these oars tightly, as they fall naturally into place and save the novice a great deal of trouble. In locks where this method is undesirable, the handgrips may be cut as a guide.—H. D. Burnside, Madison, Wis.