Issue 21 : Nov/Dec 2001
We bought a pair of gleaming gunmetal oarlocks for our dinghy and were immediately presented with a brain-teaser. Our old oarlocks were rough galvanized affairs with plastic hose jammed over the jaws as anti-chafe material. They looked nasty, and we’d never had any qualms about throwing them in the bottom of the dinghy when we went ashore — anyone desperate enough to steal ’em deserved to have ’em!
The new oarlocks, however, were a different matter. We decided they must be easy to remove from their sockets, both in daylight or darkness, so we could carry them with us when we leave the dinghy. On the other hand, we need a way of retaining the oarlocks while rowing, as it’s quite common for a rebellious oar to yank one out of its socket and attempt to dispose of it into the briny. Most importantly, our retainer must look tasteful, or why have bronze oarlocks in the first place?
After a few days of head-scratching, we came up with an answer. At the base of each oarlock is a small hole. We threaded a length of fine venetian-blind cord through the hole then through a short piece of 1⁄8-inch copper tube and tied the two ends together. The length of the cord needs to be three or four times the length of the tube, which in turn needs to be about 1⁄2 inch longer than the socket/socket block.
To fit the oarlock, pull the copper tube and rowlock apart on the cord loop, so that they are in line. Thread the tube down through the socket — child’s play, even on the darkest night — and guide the oarlock into place. Then slide the tube along the cord until it sits at 90 degrees to the shank, with an equal length of cord each side.
When you jerk the oarlock out of its socket, the two sides of the loop take up simultaneously, and the tube stays horizontal, stopping against the underside of the socket. To remove the oarlock, slide the tube in line with the shank, hold the bottom of the tube and the top of the oarlock apart to keep the cord straight, and pull the whole assembly up through the socket.
Niki and her partner, Jamie Morrison, left Australia in 1992 to cruise in their 35-foot Lion-class sloop, Siandra. Maine, where they hauled Siandra for repairs, was their port of call this summer. Then they chased the sun south.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
