Check your oar-locks. Some people with canvases have to take their oar-locks out to put on and remove their tops. Make sure the pins are in and they're not rusted, missing or whatever. I saw a guy get sideways on a boulder, with only one oar. After he got out of the jam, I asked him what happened. He said "the pin must have came out". That's a scary thought

One reason the guides use UHMW oar lock blocks and have the oar locks pressed in. You can damn near lift a truck with one before it will come out of the UHMW block.

Hey Kyle,
I don't know anything about these UHMW oar locks.
Would they work on my Lavro?

Summer Run

I think the UHMW oar lock blocks are the ones you and I have.

Is UHMW kind of a whitish Plexiglas plastic bullet proof material?

Yep, that's the stuff. I am going to try and fabricate some oar lock mounts from some stock a customer gave me, which I believe to be UHMW material (or harder).

SR, Lt and Beezer (If'n your reading this) we need to plan for a mid-Dec. float. I think I'll be ready by then. Wish I had more time to put into it, but the next 2 weeks are pretty shot with business. Doing 12 hr. days on it this weekend, so not much should be left but the little details come late Nov.

Mike

Mike

UHMW comes in many colors. Aluminum boats usually come standard with an aluminum block that your oar locks drop into, fitting very loosely. UHMW blocks have an aluminum frame welded into the boat so the UHMW block can be dropped into the frame and bolted through. Then the UHMW block is drilled slightly undersize for the oar lock shaft. The oar lock is then pressed into the UHMW block. They have two advantages: 1) they are absolutely silent when rowing. 2) They are very difficult to pull out. If I get some time this weekend I'll post a photo.

Yeah Ok, I think that's the one I already have on my boat.
If I look under side of the rail I see that there is a plastic material where the oar lock drops in.
Guess Ron Lavro doesn't cut too many corners.

Hey Mike,
Tentatively, I might able to float the Skagit on Sat Dec 18th.