Two Ouestions. I am making the move from a 13 foot pontoon boat to a willies 16X54. I have had cadaric composit oars w/ oar rites and It has worked great. Do most people use rites with drift boats? Are there disatvantages?
2nd question, does anyone have experience with Sawyer composit oars? Willies is not selling Catarics anymore not because of quality but availability and reilable delivery.

It is all your personal preference, personally I don't like them unless I am doing alot of boondoggin. You cannot feather your oar with them, you are stuck with them in one position. You are going to find half the people like them and half don't. Depending on where you live Ted's has cattaracts or you can get them at sportco as well. what I do is I have a set in my boat so if the people I am fishing with or giving a boat demo to aren't real good at rowing or just learning I will throw them on there for them. It makes it easier for some people. But like anything it is all personal preference. Peace Superfly

I have used oar-rites on my oars since I bought my boat in '95. They are useful at times, but lately I have been wrestling with the idea of taking them off. I frequently pull the oar-rites out of the locks so that I can "feather" the oars while rowing. This allows me to get a little more energy to the oars at the end of the stroke. I have noticed that a good many guides don't use them. When I fished on the Kenai with Dan Meyer, I asked him why he didn't use them. He said that he gets more control, more power and rowing is quieter without them. The positive side of oar-rites is that they always keep your oars in the correct rowing poition. To each his/her own. Piscator.

Call Catarac and ask about there "Seconds"...been runnin em for a while now and there still the same strength and Warrenty! Shafts are 45.00 and blades are 23.00 + 19.00 a piece for wrapping and 4,00 for the stopper. Make sure you special order your wrapping 8 more inches up the handle than stock. That way your oars are not riding on the stops and the oar rite is only used when the oars are dropped and needed to keep the boat from swaying in heavy current. I wouldent use Oar Rites to oar with cause you should have a little rotation in your blade when rowing bac and forth. Oar Rites are harder on wrists and dont allow that "finese" factor plug pulling always requires. You are constantly manipulating the posisition of your oars in a drifter. Especially with plugs...

Fish-On...

Just a 2 cent idea- when you want to row w/o the oar-rites simply bring them inward & turn the oars about 180 deg. so they won't slip in & lock. They will be a little closer to each other but still very functional. And the 'rites will be there when you want to stabilize your anchorup; or to row. - Steve

I have the 17' willie. I allso have the balanced Sawyer oars. I wouldn't even think about getting anything but composit shafts. My blades have that black coating on them. It's like Kevlar but not it. I dig in the rocks allot and they are still looking like new. Allso I like them because they float (The blades) many people have told me that they didn't like some of the oars because when yer not on them the ends sink. Mine are wood and are allways right on top for me. And being balanced is a real arm saver.I wouldn't think about getting oars tha tarn't balanced as well as composit shafts. just my 2 bits.

One other thing if you are getting yer boat new from Willie consider getting the 17' I am glad I did. I can fish a few guys with that little bit of extra gear and it just floats it much better.It handle really good especially if you have a few extra pounds in the boat. I have had my boat for allmost 1 year and am very happy with it. If you got any questions about what to order or what things you can do yerself and save some $$$ just E-mail me dcrzfitter@aol.com. I found that I was able to save hundreds of $$$ by doing just a few things my self.

dcrzfitter

Just place 'em at the top of your rope wrap, cut them to 1/2 length and now you always have a way to keep the oars in a handy position when you drop them for whatever reason ... plus, works great when anchored. They'll never get in your way and you get all the plusses!

They let you buy one of their boats? Amazing.
That aside, I'd suggest coating the bottom with something slippery, then getting Cataract oars about 1 1/2' longer than 1/2 the length of your boat. Do not get "second choice" oars, they can kill you. Buy the best brass or stainless oar locks, or I'll give you a set. Keep the pointed end downstream and always wear your PFD. (your mother)

Good choce of boats. the 17 footer is a great boat. I own a 16 : (
I have 9.5 cataracts with the magnum blades........they rock. I liked Bobs Idea of ctting back the oarrites. A better way to go is to get a hold of Clackacraft boats and get the rubber donuts with the little [Bleeeeep!] the slides in the oar lock when the oars slide down. They work great for keeping your oars upright when anchored wich in turns keeps the boat from swinging.
Oar rites or more o a hinderance than anything else, I gave mine away.


P.S. stick with cataract oars, they re super strong. the pair I have were on a boat that sank when the rower wedged one in a log jam. The oar flexed a ton but never broke, The oar lock broke as the boat went over. and the sawyer wood blade that was on it snapped also. The shaft is as good as new.