Fitting plastic oar collars/buttons

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FairweatherDave

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Just wondered if anyone has fitted plastic oar collars to a pair of oars. I presume you get them just big enough to slip onto the oar and then keep them in place with some glue/ varnish. Or do you buy them too tight and then warm them with a hair dryer? The reason I ask is my oars seem to be about 42mm diameter and the sizes of internal diameter on the internet are 36 or 44mm from memory. Obviously if I was a classic boat man I would be sewing on nice leather. But I am cheap and cheerful (sometimes).......:)
 
FairweatherDave said:
Just wondered if anyone has fitted plastic oar collars to a pair of oars. I presume you get them just big enough to slip onto the oar and then keep them in place with some glue/ varnish. Or do you buy them too tight and then warm them with a hair dryer? The reason I ask is my oars seem to be about 42mm diameter and the sizes of internal diameter on the internet are 36 or 44mm from memory. Obviously if I was a classic boat man I would be sewing on nice leather. But I am cheap and cheerful (sometimes).......:)
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I have fitted them by heating with a heatgun, lubricating the oar with soapy water and forcing them on quick before they cool too much. Put a hoseclip on the oar first to act as a stop because if you go too far and they cool before you can pull it back you will have to cut them off.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Didnt try heat as collars I could get were way too small. So got the bigger ones, split it and shaved off a bit to reduce diameter and then fixed with a couple of wee round head screws.
 
I boiled mine in a pan (the collars, that is; oars don't fit in even SWMBO's biggest pan). Safer I think than a heat gun, and obviously being all wet they slide up the oar a bit more easily.
Oh do remember to wear a pair of marigolds.
 
When I wanted to fit sleeves/collars onto my dinghy oars I faced the same problem re sizes. I was reluctant to use hot water after the bad experience my son and I had when fitting large Winchers.

My solution was to do the proper thing... I fitted my own leathers and tied a Turk's head for a collar. Simplicity itself even though I had never done it before.

Murphy%20oar%20leather_zpsa7rflro6.jpg
 
Plastic or leather, DO NOT use tacks or screws.
Even if copper, they will get the timber rotting in the long time and the oar can break.
Guess why I know.

Sandro
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
When I wanted to fit sleeves/collars onto my dinghy oars I faced the same problem re sizes. I was reluctant to use hot water after the bad experience my son and I had when fitting large Winchers.

My solution was to do the proper thing... I fitted my own leathers and tied a Turk's head for a collar. Simplicity itself even though I had never done it before.

Murphy%20oar%20leather_zpsa7rflro6.jpg
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That looks splendid. I'm sure that you were hoping that someone would say that, and I'm happy to oblige.
 
johnalison said:
That looks splendid. I'm sure that you were hoping that someone would say that, and I'm happy to oblige.
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Yes it is a lovely job. Sadly I expect to follow Tightwad once more :) aka alahol2, although no nails, just twine with the carpet, whilst I work out the best position for the collars. The cost of the leather for an oar.......yikes.
 
I have the reverse problem - oars fitted with apparently correctly sized plastic sleeves/collars, but one tends to slide along the oar in use (the other one can also move but barely does). What should I use to fix it in position (preferably not premanently, as I may wish to adjust later to fit a different boat)?
 
johnalison said:
That looks splendid. I'm sure that you were hoping that someone would say that, and I'm happy to oblige.
Click to expand...

Thank you. You are most kind.

FairweatherDave said:
The cost of the leather for an oar.......yikes.
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You only need two relatively small bits. I got mine for free from someone who was having leather seats made for a car 'special' ("special" in the sense that it was a hand-built body on an existing sports car chassis). Had that not materialised I was planning to cannibalise a pair of high boots that my wife discarded; maybe not as durable as the 'proper' stuff but certainly does not carry a "marine" price-tag. ;)
 
I never thought of using carpet (or, indeed, leather)- I slapped on a bit of csm and epoxy. Certainly is hardwearing, at least.
 
Think I have settled on experimenting with bandaging the oars with old inner tubes and if I get the urge I might experiment with a Turks head as a bonus. Been collecting old tubes for years :)
 
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