Drift Boat Oars?

[bamaboy]

For all you drift boat fisherman. I am looking to upgrade my oars and was looking for some input on what you guys are using or have used and liked or didn't like. Thanks in advance.

 

[Davo]

bamaboy

Checkout this thread from last season. Should answer your question.

http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/general-discussion/109745-drift-boat-oars.html

 

[bamaboy]

Thanks for the link, I do have another question. What advantage does stiff shaft oars have over the wooden shaft oars and vise versa?

 

[Davo]

bama

I have never used the wooden oars so I can't really say. But there is plenty of flex in the glass wrap oars for my taste. Flex just gives you more feel, the stiffer oars also tire you out faster as they take more energy. Just my opinion!!

 

[kwb]

I love my Sawyer MX-G's with Wood Blades...

That being said, while they are super responsive and basically bullet proof, my next sticks will be a graphite and glass composite that flexes a little bit.

For the water I fish "slow and not very technical wide open rivers", I wouldn't say what I have makes you work harder, but a little more flex would let you feel the stroke a bit better. Not to mention, the graphite/glass composite shafts are cheaper...

Whatever you choose, go with Sawyer, best in the business, period...

Solid wood are the best there is, BUT they are more likely to break and when they do, you have to replace the whole deal. A glass/graphite composite shaft with wood blade will be the closest there is to that flex profile and the only thing you really have to worry about breaking is the blades, which are replaceable.

If you are on really technical water, you want a stiffer shaft to give you better response...

The best advice I can give you, call Sawyer Oars and ask for Richard McKinney, he can steer you in the right direction and is a very nice guy...

 

[Davo]

For the water I fish "slow and not very technical wide open rivers", I wouldn't say what I have makes you work harder, but a little more flex would let you feel the stroke a bit better.

Here in the west I float faster waters. Stiffer oars in faster waters make you work harder because you get max resistance right from the start of your stroke. But you are right about having too much flex in technical water, That could get dicey!!

 

[kwb]

Here in the west I float faster waters. Stiffer oars in faster waters make you work harder because you get max resistance right from the start of your stroke. But you are right about having too much flex in technical water, That could get dicey!!

Yeah, I have never rowed anything very crazy, so my knowledge is limited what I have always been told...

I went with the stiffer oar because what I row is such a large boat in comparison to your standard drift boat and I thought it may be necessary, I now do not feel I was accurate in that guess so much, but, in faster water, it may hold true...

I liked the way Richard at Sawyer put it, younger guys typically go for a stiffer oar, as they get older they go for one with a bit more flex, whether that's because they are simply getting older or just getting wiser in their old age, I will let you figure that out on your own... LOL

He did state that the stiffer oars tend to make you work harder, but are typically a bit more responsive. Like I said, I thought I would need something stiffer due to the fact I am rowing something so big and heavy so I went with the stiffest shafts they had...

 

[Ard]

I won't comment on oars but........................ that's a nice fishing boat there!

 

[dhayden]

After my first rookie year with the boat..

The Cataracts were great. I was surprised they survived the season with my rowing skills

Watching boats go into the water out here.. I don't know if I ever saw another brand but Cataracts.. fwiw.

 

[bamaboy]

Thanks for the responses, I will be looking into all this info.
Thanks again, And that is a sweet boat!

 

[wishiniwerfishin]

I don't have a DB but my 13' 2 man toon rows nice with the Cataracts I recently upgraded to.

 

[Davo]

Another good point about the Cataract Oars is their durability. In 1995 when I bought my old Lavro I got a new set of glass wraps. I sold that boat back in December and the oars went with it as a package deal. So I got 17years out of them and they went to the new owner still going strong. Unless you abuse them they will last a long time!!

 

[mtflyfishguide]

I row a 13.5 ft hyside raft and a clacka eddy 16 ft drift boat about 170 days a year. I have used sawyer, cataract counter balanced and smoker wood oars. I don't like counterbalanced oars, if you lose one they sink, they are heavy and cumbersome, and they can be slow and unresponsive. Some guys love them, I don't. I reallly like my 8 1/2 foot smoker solid wood oars. You will want to put tips on the blades to protect them. I don't like a giant scoop from huge oar blades so I like a longer thinner scoop. Cataract glass oars are good but they don't flex like wood, when I row for a living I feel like the flex of wood oars is easier on my elbows. Sawyer dyna glide wood with composite oars are also good sturdy oars and are pretty forgiving.
i hope this helps

 

[bamaboy]

Davo, that is a long time seems like a good return on youre investment.
MT, thanks for your input on the wooden oars, I fished with a guy this weekend that had sawyers, he loved them too.

Has anyone ever used Mountain Drift boats oars?