Oars
Sandy and I have been on a quest for the last year to find the perfect oar for white water drift boats. We've bought or borrowed almost every oar we can find and used them while guiding trips out of Eagle Rock Lodge on the McKenzie River. At first impression most oars seem similar and at times the differences in weight or stiffness seem small, but over time we found that we developed a specific fondness for some types and dislikes for others. As a rule we found that a properly balanced oar that feels light in the hand is the most important attribute, overall weight was number two, and the amount and location of flex was number three. Below are our favorite oars in a range of style and cost that we feel are the best of the bunch.
Dynelite with solid ash shaft:
This oar has become our number one pick. The solid wood shaft gives flex that keep pressure off of the shoulders but the lightweight blade has a crisp flex that snaps back to position. The feel reminds me of using flippers when swimming. It's that little bit of extra that feels almost like cheating. I didn't want to like these oars best because of my personal fondness for an all wood oar. But this blade has won me over. FYI, these were Sandy's favorite from the first day he rowed them, likely that is another reason I didn't want to like them. But I have to say in the end that he was right.
8.5 ft Dynelite........ $249.00ea
9 ft Dynelite........... $279.00ea
9' 4" ft Dynelite..... $289.00ea
Smoker Solid Ash Dory Oar:
The Smoker Solid Ash Dory Oar has been a classic favorite of guides for generations. This solid oar has great strength while the narrow dory taper flexes just enough to keep the pressure off of your shoulders. I have been a long time fan of this oar and expected it to stay number one on my list of favorites. It has a great classic wood boat look partnered with performance for a reasonable price. The small difference between this oar and the Dynalite in performance is that I can feel the Smoker flex in the shaft while the Dynalite flexes in the blade. This is a small performance difference making these Smokers likely the best combination of durability, price, and performance.
8.5 ft Smoker Dory Oar........ $189.00 ea.
9 ft Smoker Dory Oar........ $209.00 ea.
9' 4" Smoker Dory Oar........ $239.00 ea.
The Classic Sawyer Light:
The Saywer Light is the classic laminated douglas fir oar with the drift boat dory taper that is both affordable and functional. This is the most popular wooden drift boat oar in the West. You can find a more comfortable oar but no top dory oar can beat this value in price to performance.
8.5 ft Sawyer Light........ $169.00 ea
9 ft Sawyer Light........ $189.00 ea
9.5 ft Sawyer Light........ $209.00
To order call (541)221-5201 or e-mail at: tatmanboats@gmail.com
