Wood oar is splitting...what to do?

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

rancocasrich

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
50
Reaction score
0
I bought a set of new oars to have in my small jon boat. I figured to use them if I had motor problems or if I needed them to maneuver when I am fishing. I have hardly used them. They are 2 years old and in like-new condition. I just noticed yesterday that the blade on the one oar has started to split. They are stored indoors when not in use and take no kind of beating. Can I repair the split blade? Is there anything I can do to minimize the splitting? Thanks.
 
I bought a pair of mismatched plastic/aluminum oars for $20 or so on CL from an older gentleman who was liquidating his stash. They move my tin just fine.

I recently saw a pair of plastic/aluminum oars at the Goodwill store for $14 and they even matched!
 
I acquired my fathers old paddle when he passed. It had started to split, but I wanted to keep it. I used a skill saw and took an inch/inch and a half of the end. Sanded it down, stained it nice and dark, and applied enough spar to waterproof it. I hardly ever use a paddle though, just wanted to hang on to that one. The glue sounds like a great idea too.
 
I'm a troglodyte, when I finally found great old, battered wooden oars for my 14', I carefully cut fiberglass cloth, mixed the resin, and covered the bottom of the blades.

Took a looong time to find decent oars.

Best wishes.
 
Heck, mine are full of splits and who knows how old they are. 1960's? . I only use them when I am in water too shallow for the trolling motor, or I use one as a push pole. I have used them when my trolling motor died once and they worked fine, splits and all. But being new, I would fix yours.
 
Sand the finish off of your oars.

Mix up some epoxy resin and fairing compound into a thick paste like creamy peanut butter and fill all cracks and splits. Sand everything down smooth after the epoxy sets and cures. Apply 4 coats of epoxy resin as a sealer.

Give your oars to your grandchildren when you get too old to use them.
 
jigngrub said:
Sand the finish off of your oars.

Mix up some epoxy resin and fairing compound into a thick paste like creamy peanut butter and fill all cracks and splits. Sand everything down smooth after the epoxy sets and cures. Apply 4 coats of epoxy resin as a sealer.

Give your oars to your grandchildren when you get too old to use them.

i would do all this and add one step. might be my sheetmetal experience speaking but find a #40 drill bit and drill the end of the crack then do all these steps. it will stop the split from advancing further in
 

Attachments

  • 4Repairing%20Sheet%20Metal-3.gif
    4Repairing%20Sheet%20Metal-3.gif
    2.4 KB · Views: 3,917

Latest posts

Top