I run 9 footers on my 16 foot Willie with 54 inch bottom. They work well especially when things get tight. I was thinking of going to 9 1/2 footers for my next set but I will probably stay with 9s and buy Cataract composite oars. I run Sawyer Lights now and have had no problems with them. It is hard to imagine a 14 foot boat with anything more than a 9 foot oar. The shorter the oars, the less room you take up, the easier they are to move, etc. The only reason I would go to longer oars is if I knew I was going to be on very large open rivers exclusively and even then I would probably go no more than 9 1/2 foot oars.