Measurement of Oars of Oxford Crew, 1890.
| ft. | ins. | |
|---|---|---|
| Over all | 12 | 3⅛ |
| In-board | 3 | 8½ |
| Length of blade | 2 | 7 |
| Greatest breadth | 0 | 6½ |
| (These were barrel blades.) | ||
In 1896 the Oxford crew rowed with oars measuring 12 ft. 2 ins. over all, with a leverage
of 3 ft. 8¼ ins., and blade 6 ins. broad. With these, it will be remembered, they rowed down and defeated Cambridge, after a magnificent struggle, by two-fifths of a length, Cambridge using oars measuring some 3 ins. longer out-board. It will thus be seen that short oars have a very good record to support them—especially over the Henley course. This year, however, a reaction took place at Oxford in favour of longer oars with narrower blades. The Oxford Eight of this year rowed with oars measuring 12 ft. 6 ins. over all, the extra length being, of course, out-board, and their blades were cut down to a breadth of 5½ ins. They were, by common consent, a very fine crew, but were unable to command a fast rate of stroke, and in the race against an inferior crew they hardly did themselves or their reputation justice. This pattern of oar was used by New College at Henley, the blades, however, being further cut down to 5¼ ins. In the final heat of the Grand Challenge Cup, they met Leander, who were rowing with 12-ft. oars. Leander, rowing a considerably faster stroke, at once jumped ahead, and led by a length in three minutes. New College, however, came up to
them, still rowing a slower stroke, then picked their stroke up, and, after rowing level with Leander for about 250 yards, finally defeated them by 2 ft. The result of this race cannot be said to have settled the question as between long oars and short. In the Stewards' Fours, on the other hand, Leander, rowing with oars measuring 12 ft. ½ in. over all, and blades 5¾ ins. in breadth, defeated New College, rowing with 12 ft. 6 ins. oars, and blades of 5½ ins., the leverage in both cases being 3 ft. 8½ ins. The advocates of the long oar maintain that they secure a longer stride, and are thus able to economize strength by using a slower rate of stroke. Those who favour the shorter ones believe that the extra lightness of their implement enables them to row a faster stroke without unduly tiring themselves. Personally, I found, after trying the experiment several times, that Leander crews I have coached invariably rowed better and commanded more speed in practice with 12 ft. to 12 ft. 1 in. oars than with oars 3 ins. or 4 ins. longer.[8]
[8] Mr. S. Le B. Smith informs me that, to the best of his recollection, the oars used by the London Rowing Club, up to 1878, measured—for Eights, 12 ft. 2 ins. all over, and for Fours, 12 ft., the inboard measurement being 3 ft. 6½ ins. My impression is that they used riggers shorter by 2 ins. than those now in use. Their blades were not quite 6 ins. broad.
It must be remembered, finally, that men, as well as measurements, have something to do with the pace of a crew, and that style and uniformity count for a good deal. The advocates of long or short oars will always be able to explain a defeat sustained by one of their crews by alleging causes that are totally unconnected with the measurement of the oars. On the other hand, such is their enthusiasm, they will attribute the victory of their crew entirely to their favourite pattern of oar.