I've been using the Sawyer Cobra oar locks for a couple years now. I have been pushing myself to be a better oarsmen by attempting to learn to skull to control boat speed and position while side drifting in certain scenarios. I weened myself off of my oar rights when I got the sawyer cobras because I had wanted to learn to feather the oars with each stroke.

I've noticed though that the oars seem to feel sticky when actually twisting the oars in the locks with my wrists. For instance if I am trying to feather the oars with each stroke it just doesn't feel as fluid as I feel it should. I have the cobras set so that the oars won't pop out where the rope wraps are but there is still some lateral play between the horns of the cobras and my rope wraps so I feel like the cobras aren't too tight against the oar shafts.

The interior finish of the sawyer cobra is a pretty rough brass. Could this be why they feel sort of sticky or sluggish if you will while making twisting motions with the oars? I'm not sure about that theory either though because mine are pretty polished after a couple years of use.

Earlier today I figured I'd try and adjust one of my cobras by way of a vise and a couple metal pipes to see if by loosening or tightening it would change how easily the oar twisted...and I broke it. so now I'm out an oar lock and have to replace it.

Anybody with experience with proper oar feel and or with tuning sawyer cobras please chime in.

Thank you,

Drew

Just spoke with a buddy and what he said makes sense. Basically since the cobras have more surface area the oars tend to feel a little sticky. Since I can get two of the thinner more basic oar locks for the price of one cobra I may just go that route and see how I like it.

Yep, probably that fat bearing surface causing the sluggish action.
I have never liked the looks of those Cobras enough to try them.

I'd go with the Superston or that SS Helfrich kinda looks sexy (have not tried them)...

those are what I have and love them.

Those look pretty.

Upgrade to these... just installed them, going to put them to the test in the am!

Ya. Those are real nice Luis. Let me know how you like em.

Well I'm a believer, the Pro-lok system is totally worth the money! Skulling was effortless and made shoaling 10 times easier. I was impressed how much quieter the delivery of each oar stroke was. I learned how to row without oar rites in my Pops Old green Lavro on the Skytucky many moons ago when we still had a wild steelhead fishery til mid April. So there was no learning curve of locking your wrists and keeping your thumbs straight as guides to keep your blades true.



It was a bit nerve racking while installing cutting off my oar wraps being unsure if I'm going to like this new system. I found a nice surprise to find that there was Silicone underneath the wraps while unraveling the tuna cord wraps....ugh what a b!tch that was scraping away with razor blades. It looked horrible afterwards too, lucky Dan is now supplying heat shrink tubing that really does help the smooth and very quiet delivery.

Drew swing by my place after work, I'll loan you my standard NRS brass locks...

They look like they sit a lot higher above the gunnel- was that a factor?

Good to hear. I was trying to track down some swivel-locks, but went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Pro-loks yesterday. I wanted to ditch the oar rights anyway. Everyone that I've talked to really liked their Pro-loks too.

Is the heat shrink tube the adhesive lined kind, or just shrink only?

Have not used the saddle type, but supposedly Swivel-Lok lets you get your oar out normally without removing the blade.
This according to another thread comparing the two.



Sexed up polished version on Mike's boat...(makes the Helfrich look ghetto!)


If yer setting a Tweeker trap, put some of these out !

Not at all... the black insert is removable as well. On my old locks I had an aluminum spacer that deerlick was running you can find at any hardware store



They are not adhesive lined and is not needed

What happens if you're in a tough rapid and an oar breaks? How easy is it to get your spare oar set up in that situation? I have no problems with my simple standard bronze oar locks but maybe there's something to this system that makes it worth while.