Re: Oarlocks for a P-15 or P19?

Bill Blohm (bblohm@hpbs1686.boi.hp.com)
Tue, 21 Dec 1999 16:14:36 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Well, part of it might be technique. I can imagine the P-15 being more
amenable to rowing than the P-19, but I don't see rowing the P-19 as
that difficult. Against current, if you angle across, you can make the
current help you out. Similarly with the wind. I'll admit right now
that I've not rowed Dream Catcher yet, but I have rowed boats with a
similar freeboard. These had no keel, though, and that may make the
difference. It might be hard to gain initial momentum, but with the
right stroke pattern you should be able to make way.

Higher winds may necessitate rowing for shelter downwind rather than
upwind and working your way back up later. Close in to shore you'll
have better chance against the current, assuming it's running
parallel to the shore.

As to sculling, I'll leave that up to Bill C. to elaborate on. I do
know that technique plays a lot here. The rowboat and the canoe
both took some getting going, but once going it was easy enough
to keep going. Against current and wind, I'm so good at sculling
that I'd have to pole or row instead. :-)

Bill B.
P-19 #454, Dream Catcher
Nampa, ID

SolarFry@aol.com wrote:
> I hope you guys keep that motor in working order..
>
> I tried sculling my P19 with a long oar and was only able to direct a
> drifting P19 in general direction wind was pushing it. Something I could
> have done with tiller. A helper with more able hands was barely able to make
> any headway at all against a minimal sailing breeze of 4 MPH. I find you can
> only affect movement in a direction if there is no wind. Those high sides
> extract their toll in drift and windage..
>
> An experiment with a 50 lb. thrust Minn Kota generated ample movement as long
> as there was no current and wind was under 5 MPH. I think it moved the P19 at
> about 1.5 or 2.5 knots against wind. Kinda discouraging in an area where
> most currents run at 3.5 to 6 MPH.
>
> I imagine a P15 would be much more suitable to a pair or even a single oar.
> But not much if there is decent wind. My wife is unable to move the 13'
> utility sailboat against a wind while rowing. (She got into a health and
> rowing kick for about a month or so.)