I tried the same oars that Kaiser rows a few weeks ago and they rocked. He and greendrifter had rec'd them. Love them! Now time to save up.
Hey anyone know if you can put those dynalite blades on Cataract shafts?
My set up is 9ft. If I put those dynalites on my Cataracts I'd get 9-4 which would be nice and not have to buy the Sawyer shafts....

Thanks, Gents. Good stuff!

I've had frequent comments from both felonius and non felonius fellow fisher folk friends frequenting both the Sawyers and Cataracts, but more run Cataracts than Sawyers. I have no preference at this point personally.

My vintage Sawyers work fine but are heavy after a day and need more blade depth for bite when needed, holding in tails for instance. I don't like to work that hard. Not to complain, but I have some upper extremity issues and weight and leverage is everything for me.

Personally, I don't like oar rights but see why some like them, for example, the value for consistent location.

I would actually prefer a triangular tapered or oval handle to give tactile indexing and to fit the hand. No question where "up" is. No need to look. Maybe Sawyer or Cataract or Carlisle will contract with me. Prolly not.

The counter balanced I have zero experience with. Sounds like a good idea but does it add weight that you feel? Does it help?

Hey, I can't even remember if my oars are 9' or 9' 6," guess I'll have to pull the tape when I get the boat into "Foggy's Garage."

Thanks,

too me.

As a rookie rower I think that is a killer idea.


c/22

Thanks. Haven't tried the Sawyer/Dynelites but friend Curt loves them.

I have heard the same from at least 6-8 experienced Rogue rowers, but most have learned to adapt visually. No one I know runs oar wrights on rocky runs. Fixed positions there are not good, too much feathering or digging. But SOME sort of indexing is valuable.

Good to read the comments around floating blades. Something useful there, me thinks.

Eric, if you really, really want Magnum Blades, I've got two sets of ultra-backups, brand new or nearly so...but, no, the magnums do not float, and I can't honestly understand the big push for everyone to have them...the first time one jams into a rock on the downstream side and the oar hits you in the chest or chin, you'll wish you had floaters.

Besides saving you a broken jaw, the floaters bounce off of rocks way, way better, and give me a better 'feel' for the water as I row.

BTW, had a Sawyer oar with Dynalite blades pop out of the oarlock this weekened on a buddy's boat...luckily as it passed under the boat I was able to reach down into the water to grab it. Woulda sucked big time to be short an oar a mile into an eight mile float, 'specially 'cuz he didn't have a spare on his boat.

Why did it pop out? Because it doesn't float.

Period.

Rows great...doesn't float.

Cataract floating blades are all I'll use...and I don't even use Cataract shafts.

Fish on...

Todd

im pretty sure eric was saying he wanted floating blades...

i dont really see the problem with none floating blades, if you keep the blades out of the water when floating down its not a problem..

i've probably been in a drift boat over 200 times and have yet to have a problem with none floating blades..

i got the magnums again this time because they worked great on my old boat, lots of trips and kept going strong. .

i guess a knocked out tooth, or a worse might change my mind...

They must have changed them, because I've got an older set up Magnums and they do float. I've lost an oar over the side twice being a dumb ass and both times when I retreived it it was floating blade up.

I am so stoked. I left my DB in Orygun when I moved to BeautifulDowntownPugetropolis but Foggy the Ducker has graciously agreed to let me put Willie into his 36 x 36 garage. I will be replacing the Original Vintage Sawyers with some Cataracts and original, floating blades and appreciate the great comments. I will be floating locally just to have a float, or a bunch.

Been Jonesin'

Rock On,

Has anybody tried these indexed oar handles from Hyde? I think you would have to cut off the originals and clean up the handle shaft and then ?glue? them on?
http://store.hydeoutdoors.com/boat/cataract-oar-foam-grips

No, but I need some, or something like them...I'm actually going to buy a roll of tennis racket handle tape and do up my oar handles with that...

Leastwise, that's what I've got on my mind...

Fish on...

Todd

Good to hear that, Todd.
I have had boucou folks comment on indexed handles; you wouldn't believe.

Why make our eyes focus on another thing when our hands can input that information while we look for lines and rocks.

I will try a set and report back. It may take awhile. I hope someone has tried these and can make the rest of us smarter.

My last pair were old, and had been on a pair of Cataracts for many years...eventually they literally fell apart...but they were at least ten years old.

At $14 a shot, ten years ain't so bad.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. With the tape, I plan to wrap them in a way that they feel "right" when they are, and "not right" when they're not...like when I wrapped baseball bats in college, label up, never front or back.

Yes.

At first, I thought the molded hand grip might be just the ticket....

Consider that ski pole handles have, in the past a mold so the fingers and thumb could be supported underneath.

Some knives have finger notches to reduce slipping.
Some pistols...

Bicycle grips come in a molded form to allow more surface area on the palm of your hand. Motorcycle grips have offered grips to reduce slipping and fatigue.

But none of those applications is requiring you to pull on the handle. Exercise machine handles allow you to wrap your fingers all the way around and distribute the weight of the pressure across the enitre length of all fingers.

Since the round handles fit, probably the easiest indicator to install is a simple white line the length of the handle and place it, so that it extends past your hand and near the crotch of your thumb. If you ever grips a golf club, its pretty much the same procedure.

I guess you could also resort to painting your hands and grabbing the handles.

Reporting just the news:

Willie Boats had the wrapped shafts but not the blades. Both they, and the folks at Koffler's, told me that the Magnums and Razors were all that Cataract had. They also both told me that the Razors and Magnums float.

A call to Cataract (Advanced Composites, Inc.) proved that was not true, they still manufacture plenty of the original Cataract blades. 3 Rivers sells them but is out, on order.

I bought 2 wrapped shafts at Willie (20% discount) and called Sportco, who shipped 2 original Cataract blades (w tip protectors) to Outdoor emporium; picked them up last night. Maybe should have bought the oars from Sportco as well but I had some other things to pick up from Willie.

Now have 2 new Cataract SGG shafts and original Cararact blades for about $400 including all shipping, taxes, fees, etc. Use this as a reference price.

Thanks to everybody who helped me out on this.

I have a Hyde and their oars. Pretty sure they are Cataracts with floating blades of course! The actual foam handle has a couple of extended dimples on the very ends. They are fairly subtle but you can definitely feel them when you slip your thumb over the end of the handle. When you grab an oar you can put your thumb over the end and feel those dimples. If they line up vertically, one on each side of your thumb, you don't have to look at the blades because you can feel where your blade will be. It takes no time to get used to it. I hate oar rights and these things for me work perfect in getting the right blade angle without looking and almost instantaneous.

Pretty sure that's not a great description but they work awesome for me. I used Magnums for a couple trips and sold 'em to buy floaters. I just about got vaulted out of the boat because I do like to drop the oars every now and then to make a cast.

Thanks wntrrn.

Screaming deal...you dun good, Doc.

Fish on...

Todd