Phase 1 crapped out on about the fifth stroke. Nevertheless, it was too low, the oars were too short, and the back was in too relaxed of a position. Still, I rowed it about two miles.
Phase 2 I couldn’t even do the first return stroke because I got the seat too high. However, the back was nice and upright and the longer oars seemed more appropriate on the one power stroke I was able to make.
Phase 3, I am using the same upright swivel seat, I had to return the longer oars to the person who loaned them to me but I’ve found some affordable oars of the right length. I’ve lowered the seat about six inches, which is what I needed to do to be able to do a return stroke and not be forced to make the oar pass through my leg (which physics, being the way that it is, prevented). A few more finishing touches and I’ll have this out on the water. Hopefully this time, it’ll all come together. I’m going to go over my $50 budget to get the oars, but the rowing station itself is well under budget. Two pieces of wood (cull lumber at $0.51 each), four “L” brackets at $1.21 each, four 6" bolts and miscellaneous hardware at about $4.00 total, two “L” type oar seats at $9, folding swivel seat on sale at $9, oar clamps (already had them, so no additional cost). Total cost, sans oars, is just over $25 and a lot of frustration.
- Big D