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.

Soap and elbow grease...you don't have to slide them, you can "roll" 'em easier. The same thing that makes them hard to get on is what keeps 'em on, and in the right place...they should be very snug.

Fish on...

Todd

Dish soap did the job for me.