# oar transport question



## peterk1234 (Feb 27, 2021)

This is a very very basic question. How are you folks transporting your oars? Do you throw them in your vehicle or do you strap them down inside the raft and on the oar locks? Thx Pete


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## Noswetnam (Mar 8, 2016)

I tie them to rope and drag behind trailer


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

Tiedowns in the center of the trailer, so they ride between the cat tubes.


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

on raft, out of oar locks, strapped to cross bars, along side of dry box.


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## Oldmanriver61 (Mar 20, 2016)

I Make my wife practice her Strokes on the way to the H2O !!!


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## agrankin (Aug 31, 2017)

I use one footer or two footer straps and strap all three oars (2 + spare) into a pyramid arrangement so there is no movement or shifting, then strap that onto either the raft frame cross bars if I am trailering or on the roof bars.


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## Specialk (Jul 8, 2021)

At least 3 tie down points on frame / dry box handle. Tried back of truck once with blades off...until I closed the truck tailgate at take out, .....that then broke the camper top glass up front. Good times!


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

I wont cam strap glass sticks directly to an aluminum/steel frame. I'll find something to put on the frame. Towel, life vest, oar sleeve, something?


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

My mom is an amazing seamstress and she made me a padded oar bag for my squaretops that rides in the box part of the trailer under the boat. My polecats ride there too strapped together or strapped to a frame.


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## peterk1234 (Feb 27, 2021)

dirtbagkayaker said:


> I wont cam strap glass sticks directly to an aluminum/steel frame. I'll find something to put on the frame. Towel, life vest, oar sleeve, something?


 I was wondering about this. Right now I am using carlisle aluminums, but someday I am sure I will make a change.


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## kengore (May 29, 2008)

Do not strap them in such a way that you have direct shaft to frame contact. The bouncing and rubbing on a dirt road will cause wear. Just put something soft in between and you are fine. I use some pieces of pool noodle with a slit down one side. Sometime I just lay them loose in the bottom of the trailer, but I wrap the blades and handles in a towel or something so they don't roll around.

Also, I found out the hard way, if you take the blades off and bounce along the road the foam plugs inside the shaft can fall out. The foam plugs keep the hollow shaft from filling with water. A simple fix is a bit of foam sealer to lock them in place.


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

I strap mine to my roof rack cross bars, blades back. This makes it easy to avoid incidental contact with other stuff that may beat them up.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

Your over thinking this. Trust me. I just tie them on my trailer. I have tied them to roof racks in the past, and directly to frame. Just make sure they don't fall off, thats all. But then again, a lot of these guys use much higher dollar oars than me.


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## zercon (Aug 30, 2006)

West slope boater, the gear on the roof is more valuable than the vehicle under it.


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## nervouswater (Jun 3, 2008)

I’ve strapped mine to the frame for years and never even seen a hint of wear on them, but maybe I’m just getting lucky?


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## Dinger (Aug 9, 2017)

Might be over kill but dont have to worry about strapping them down. Rubber hose over u-bolt and DJ lighting brackets


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## VanHalli (May 5, 2020)

Man, all these comments really have my re-thinking my rigging... I use a 2 ft loop strap as a oar tether, so when it's time to load the boat and hit the road I leave the oar in the oar lock, stuff the blade under my (tightened) chicken line, and cinch up the loop strap tether super tight. Always seemed to be pretty rock solid to me, and haven't had any spillage so far.... but what do you guys think? Is that sketchy and have I just been lucky these past 5 years?


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

VanHalli said:


> Man, all these comments really have my re-thinking my rigging... I use a 2 ft loop strap as a oar tether, so when it's time to load the boat and hit the road I leave the oar in the oar lock, stuff the blade under my (tightened) chicken line, and cinch up the loop strap tether super tight. Always seemed to be pretty rock solid to me, and haven't had any spillage so far.... but what do you guys think? Is that sketchy and have I just been lucky these past 5 years?


I do this for short drives to day trips and from camp to ramp multidays etc. Never when stacking boats though for long drives. Or when you have to yank the boat from the top of the stack.

My oar bag was because my mom likes to feel handy and contributing and I'm a tough guy to buy gifts for. If that wasn't the case, I'd never seek one out. I'd do what you do or strap them together in the trailer box or to a frame.


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## RyanOBrian (Aug 16, 2016)

Straight to the frame in a little 3 pack pyramid. I use two 3ft straps... but the tag is annoyingly long.


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## Sawyer Paddles & Oars (Dec 22, 2020)

Great thread with helpful information and solutions. Getting to the water with broken or damaged oars as a result of improper transport is an issue we frequently respond to. The common scenario of "I made one stroke and my shaft broke" can be caused by how they are strapped to the boat and frame, especially on long drives in to the launch on rough roads. 

The most common cause of damage we see in transport is unsecured oars in the floor of drift boats, oars strapped to frames on rough roads, etc. Prevent disappointment at the put-in with some of the suggestions in this thread. 

Derek


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## peterk1234 (Feb 27, 2021)

Sawyer Paddles & Oars said:


> Great thread with helpful information and solutions. Getting to the water with broken or damaged oars as a result of improper transport is an issue we frequently respond to. The common scenario of "I made one stroke and my shaft broke" can be caused by how they are strapped to the boat and frame, especially on long drives in to the launch on rough roads.
> 
> The most common cause of damage we see in transport is unsecured oars in the floor of drift boats, oars strapped to frames on rough roads, etc. Prevent disappointment at the put-in with some of the suggestions in this thread.
> 
> Derek


Well, I'm glad I asked the question. Thanks for the comments all. Thank you.


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## Class3Hero (Dec 13, 2020)

I was thinking of mounting some solid hanging brackets for my oars under my raft trailer deck (above the axle). There's plenty of space under there...


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

For years, as long as I can remember, I just put a 1 foot strap around the shaft where it meets the blade, the oar still on the thole pin and trailer it that way. My spares are already hanging off the side of my frame. The only thing I ensure is that the clip isn't rubbing on the boat before I take off.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Class3Hero said:


> I was thinking of mounting some solid hanging brackets for my oars under my raft trailer deck (above the axle). There's plenty of space under there...


I'd worry about road gravel thrown up by the tires chewing the heck out of them.


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## PBattler (Apr 1, 2017)

I use these, with cam straps woven through. They’re not great but they work. I had to widen the diameter with a sanding drum. This made the rubber straps weak. I certainly would not trust them without additional cam straps.


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