Oar and Paddle Repair

As oars and paddles age and get abused the blades sometimes crack. A good oar is not cheap to replace. A blade that starts to split or crack can be repaired and the life of the oar extended.

First determine how far the split goes. At the upper limit or top of the split drill a hole. This round hole will stop the split from continuing farther. Then drill a series of paired holes on either side of the crack or split, about every two to three inches down the blade till you get to the bottom of the oar. The holes need to be about 3/16 of an inch in diameter.  With a good twine like sail makers twine, thread it through the hole pairs several times and then tie the stitch securely. Stitch all the hole pairs down to the bottom of the oar. The stiches by themselves will repair the crack, or a good glue or adhesive such as epoxy can be used first and then the oar stitched to form an even stronger repair.

 

This repair is quick and effective and can extend the use of oars and paddles.

I found a great use for a paddle that was really past the point of repairing it to use as a paddle. I made a name board out of it for my boat. I carved the name board in the old boat carver’s tradition, and painted the carved letters so they would stand out. I still got to recycle a paddle I got out of the trash.  

This paddle had cracks on either side if the handle rib so I made a carved name board out of it.