THE TRADITIONAL WAYS OF FINDING THE CORRECT OAR LENGTH

                    Inboard length of the loom equals ½ the span between the oarlocks + 2"

                         Total length of oar equals 1/7 of inboard length multiplied by 25

                                                          Leverage Ratio is 7:18

       Distance from the centre of leather to end of grip equals 7/25 of the total length of the oar

                                                                             OR

Take one-half of the dinghy's beam measurement in feet (taken at the oarlocks). Multiply that figure by 25, divide the result by seven, and round the answer up to the nearest six-inch increment if the boat is over 10 feet long, or down if the boat is under 10 feet long.

 

Let's say that your boat has a four-foot beam and it's roughly 12 feet long.

 

Multiply two (half the measurement of the beam in feet) by 25 and you'll get 50. Now divide that by seven and you'll get 7.14 feet. Take that and round it up to seven feet, six inches and that's the length of the oars that you need. Good luck and happy rowing.

 

 

DISTANCE BETWEEN ROW LOCKS        HALVE IT           DIVIDE BY 7             X 25                         APPROX. OAR LENGTH
INCHES    CENTIMETRES                  CENTIMETRES      CENTIMETRES    CENTIMETRES                 CENTIMETRES
36”                   91.44                                 45.72                       6.53                    163.29                              160
40”                 101.6                                   50.8                         7.26                    181.43                              180
48”                 121.92                                 60.96                       8.71                    217.71                              210
54”                 137.16                                 68.58                       9.8                      244.93                              240
60”                 152.4                                   76.2                       10.89                    272.14                              270
66”                 167.64                                 83.82                     11.97                    299.36                              310
72”                 182.88                                 91.44                     13.06                    326.57                              340
80”                 203.2                                 101.6                       14.51                    362.86                              370
                    
                                                   The type of boat / freeboard height will affect things.                
                  If there is a requirement for the Oar Handles to overlap one another when rowing, then add 10 cms  

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TRY SITTING IN YOUR BOAT WITH A LONG STICK AND SEE THE DISTANCE FROM WHERE THE STICK IS IN YOUR HAND IN THE CENTRE OF THE BOAT THROUGH THE ROWLOCK AND DOWN INTO WHAT WOULD BE WATER.