# Cataract Oars rope wrap help needed



## Summit rafter (Sep 17, 2012)

So wonder what type of issue I'm having with my rope wrap. My NRS atomic oar locks seem to be wearing through my wrap extremely fast. Just noticed after my third time using the oars that the rope is being separated. What is causing this? Is it the oar locks, should I get some cobras. Is it my technique. Help


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Summit rafter said:


> So wonder what type of issue I'm having with my rope wrap. My NRS atomic oar locks seem to be wearing through my wrap extremely fast. Just noticed after my third time using the oars that the rope is being separated. What is causing this? Is it the oar locks, should I get some cobras. Is it my technique. Help


Try tapping the end of the wrap with a block of wood to tighten it back up. Is it epoxied? I used a harbor freight rubber tensioner when I did my wrap

Is the rope actually wearing or just separating?

The cobras have more surface area they will tend to wear more gradually.


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## Summit rafter (Sep 17, 2012)

You know I'm not sure if it is epoxied. When I bought the oars new they came with the rope wrap on. It looks like a little of both worn and separating ill try to upload a pic tomorrow. Thanks.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Atomics have a bit of a rough texture under the anodizing. Sucks, because anodizing is harder than everything but diamonds. Same thing as aluminum oxide sandpaper. No doubt it's causing a lot of wear on your ropes. It would be nice if the underlying aluminum was smoother before the anodizing was done.

People last year were commenting that their Atomics were egging out their aluminum NRS towers.

I got my Atomics last year and only used them on steel towers; haven't used them enough to notice if they were causing a lot of wear on my wraps.


My only suggestion would be to try to give them a bit of polish with....aluminum oxide sandpaper. Try 200 grit.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

MT4Runner said:


> Atomics have a bit of a rough texture under the anodizing. Sucks, because anodizing is harder than everything but diamonds. Same thing as aluminum oxide sandpaper. No doubt it's causing a lot of wear on your ropes. It would be nice if the underlying aluminum was smoother before the anodizing was done.
> 
> People last year were commenting that their Atomics were egging out their aluminum NRS towers.
> 
> ...


I'm surprised you haven't made your own oarlocks 4runner!


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

*Rope wrap*

Avatard is right -- epoxy the ends so they don't slip up the shaft and loosen the wrap. The composite shafts are so slick that they don't hold the wrap well. 

My next wrap job, I am going to use the cord that they use for lawnmower pull starters.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

spider said:


> I'm surprised you haven't made your own oarlocks 4runner!


 
Now that I can weld stainless, that's probably next! :lol:


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

You better tig that shit!!


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## Summit rafter (Sep 17, 2012)

MT4Runner said:


> Atomics have a bit of a rough texture under the anodizing. Sucks, because anodizing is harder than everything but diamonds. Same thing as aluminum oxide sandpaper. No doubt it's causing a lot of wear on your ropes. It would be nice if the underlying aluminum was smoother before the anodizing was done.
> 
> People last year were commenting that their Atomics were egging out their aluminum NRS towers.
> 
> ...


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

You could eliminate the wrap entirely. Do you have anyone locally that sells a pro-lok?

I went that route cause I had bent a sawyer cobra and I was seeing some obvious wear in the shafts.  After using the cobra I'd never go back to a standard shaped horn

Like the pro loks just had to grind off the thread of the stop once tightened on the oar


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

MT4Runner said:


> Now that I can weld stainless, that's probably next! :lol:


I am looking for someone to make me posi lockers...stainless


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

lhowemt said:


> I am looking for someone to make me posi lockers...stainless


I need to see what they look like


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

<<<<This guy is a boater who happens to be a hack welder.



VVVVV This guy gets paid to weld. 


spider said:


> I need to see what they look like


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Summit rafter said:


> This is what I did before ever using. I noticed they weren't that smooth and thought they would fray the ropes fast. My problem looks more like the narrow width of the oar locks at the base is causing the problem.


Can you post pics?


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> I need to see what they look like


here is a stock photo of the pro-loks, which uses welded stainless.

that clamp on the oar stop is a bitch and needs to be redesigned. The snare wire is to be cut off at first sight before it cuts your leg off. But the concept seems solid. If you exert enough force, the horns and or collar deforms slightly and unpops off the rounded screw heads that are applying pressure in the dimples in the collar.

I think the posilockers will not release unless something shears. Either the oar lock stem, the pivot mechanism, or the oar shaft. In Laura's case I think think it was the oar. 

If you want I can get you detailed pics of the weld and the thickness of the material. If you wanted to make a posilocker design out of this you need to come up with a way to bend the stainless steel collar to accept a grant's oar right ... but you will probably want to pay the guy in Payette some sort of royalty for ripping off the concept of his design.

I think these pro loks retail for $120/pr and don't require rope wrap, oar sleeves, oar rights. Also they give you at least about an inch more height out of your existing tower and can be made with the shaft any length you need (if you want to put 4" risers). I would think the stainless is pretty strong and won't bend under normal force.

FYI the diameter of the inside of the collar is larger than a bare oar shaft but too small to use an existing oar wrap. I don't know if the guy who makes them can machine them differently to work over a wrap. I know there is some adjustment in the side screws and it looks like he turns the collars on a lathe. So maybe can add some OD and ID to the material if you are a fan of the rope wrap protecting your oars from surface scratching, etc. The material is pretty "greasy" feeling maybe hdpe?


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Well at that price I'll take a set. Do you have his contact info?


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> Well at that price I'll take a set. Do you have his contact info?


here is how I found him.

Home Page

I know he said he can make the length of the base as long as you like. I don't know if stainless will easily bend, but I do know cobra shafts will, as well as wear.

now regarding stainless in your nrs towers, I think unless you do a great job using bronners soap that it will probably eventually require you to drill out the holes and insert bushings. how many years before you notice it is an unknown. 

you can have him supply a different sized shim so you could easily effectively raise your tower height. the basic ones due to the size of the horn etc I think give you about an extra inch more than the sawyer cobras. or you could probably install the nrs spring kit which will give you a little bounce in addition to the elevation.

if you already have rope wrap and are unsure if you are going to be happy, I would ask him he can make oversized collars that will fit over the existing rope wrap. there looks to be enough adjustment in the setscrews. He's always looking for ways to improve it -- i'm sure some people want to be able to use the same oar on another boat etc so they would want to keep their existing sleeves or wrap..

Also the other question would be is there a way to make the oar stop/pin thingy's a bit larger OD so it can completely conceal the clamp. no need to ever have that clamp visible.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks tard, I would be trying them on the big boat, got sleeves on those sticks. Seems like you could still use rubber stoppers. Maybe use some cord instead of a garrote wire for a retaining device. Looks like they are worth a try. Might be more for fishing application.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> Thanks tard, I would be trying them on the big boat, got sleeves on those sticks. Seems like you could still use rubber stoppers. Maybe use some cord instead of a garrote wire for a retaining device. Looks like they are worth a try. Might be more for fishing application.


I'm gonna try them on my big cat in a few weeks and if so, take them on a main trip this summer. They worked great on my day cat in some class III

I like to try shit out too. If only my boat budget were as big as my girlfriends shoe budget

Regarding cord I just used my standard nrs oar clips/straps. Others just use a section of parachute cord or nylon webbing


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Theyre priced very reasonably when you consider oarlock 40$ sleeve 15$ stopper 5$ total 60$ per side = 120$ a pair. So the same price really with some added benefits. I don't know how well you would fair rowing heavy water if one popped out and you had to cradle an oar in just the oarlock part.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> Theyre priced very reasonably when you consider oarlock 40$ sleeve 15$ stopper 5$ total 60$ per side = 120$ a pair. So the same price really with some added benefits. I don't know how well you would fair rowing heavy water if one popped out and you had to cradle an oar in just the oarlock part.


They compare more favorably to cobras as far as range of motion. And more than favorable in terms of cost. Very smooth. You have to be a little careful because if you release your handles the oars can go practically vertical


I think you'd have to hit something really hard as I've tried yanking on them and they didn't just pop out.

I think cradling the oar in the stainless wouldn't be optimal but I will take that instead of the numerous times I've popped a standard oar out of an oar lock in big water

Ask Dan if he offers a return and restocking fee if you don't like them


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Sorry about the thread jack summit. I think they are next on my list. Smooth es bueno.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

I just talked to Dan and got a set of pro-locks. He's going to build me a custom set of collars for whitewater that will take more effort to pop than his fishing models. Great guy, sounds like he will back it up with some great customer service. Summit this might be the answer to your problem, I'll post about my experiance with the pro-locks after I get some time on them.


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## Summit rafter (Sep 17, 2012)

Sounds good spider. Keep us updated. Just a side note I talked with cataract and they said I might be rowing at too steep of an angle hence causing the rope separation. This makes sense since I am 6'4" sitting on top of my cooler with a nrs flipseat and high back seat with only 8" towers. 

I need 10" or/and this product.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Summit rafter said:


> Sounds good spider. Keep us updated. Just a side note I talked with cataract and they said I might be rowing at too steep of an angle hence causing the rope separation. This makes sense since I am 6'4" sitting on top of my cooler with a nrs flipseat and high back seat with only 8" towers.
> 
> I need 10" or/and this product.


That's what SHE said!


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

On another note, where are your hands at when your oars are in the water? Are you hitting your knees? How big is your boat? Not that I've tryed them yet, but the pro-locks come with 1" riser and you can get 2" if you like. Might be cheaper than replacing your towers. I just got a set of rope wrap cats for my little boat and might be unwrapping them if the pro-locks pan out. Wish I'd have waited on the oars, I don't really care for the counter balance and if I fall in love with the PL I don't need the wrap. Come to find out with such short oars it doesent mater cat or Carlisle, can't really tell the difference.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> I just talked to Dan and got a set of pro-locks. He's going to build me a custom set of collars for whitewater that will take more effort to pop than his fishing models. Great guy, sounds like he will back it up with some great customer service. Summit this might be the answer to your problem, I'll post about my experiance with the pro-locks after I get some time on them.


Did you ask if he could make the collar OD and ID larger? That's what I would like. Then I could run my wrapped or sleeved oars in them as is

I guess I can email and ask what he charges for a custom set. Looks like he makes them on a lathe


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

He will make an extra set of collars for 25$. They look like they run smoother with just shafts. I did not ask if he could bOre them out.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Just talked to cat about my oars, they are sending me new oars w/out cb or rope. Great CS.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

spider said:


> He will make an extra set of collars for 25$. They look like they run smoother with just shafts. I did not ask if he could bOre them out.


That would only work in bOregon


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