oars for rowing an enterprise

[oldbloke]

I didn’t know that. Never sailed a grp Ent.

You haven't missed much, horrible floppy things badly screwed together. The modern frp sandwich ones are a different matter

 

[oldbloke]

But AFAIK the centreboard still came up above the thwart - and if down the handle at the top of the board would end any family life if ran aground. Hence why said fine for two rowing, one each side, but not one person other than a (current or future) eunuch.

You are not wrong, but a blunt knife lifting you up is sl better than an axe blade pinning you down...

 

[jwilson]

It has been many years, but I do remember the centreboard problem with rowing a wooden Enterprise, I think I remember blowing up and using my inflated Mae West lifejacket as a cushion. Very cheap in the 1960s from army surplus stores, and my favourite dinghy buoyancy aid ever: you could just have a tiny bit of air in it so it didn't obstruct movement and still look as though you were complying with club rules.

 

[MisterBaxter]

I can't remember the detail of an Ent centreboard case but could you just cut a plywood seat a couple of feet wide and screw two wooden blocks onto the underside, located the right distance apart to sit snugly each side of the CB case? Then it could just sit there for rowing but would be easily removable. Maybe held in place with a bit of cord somehow?
Edit - actually, thinking it through, could the board be removed if it's purely for rowing use? In which case the temporary rowing seat could have a piece poking out of the bottom that slotted into the CB case to keep it in place.

 

[oldbloke]

Enterprise hull is wide and flat by rowing standards, I would think you would want to keep all the directional stability you can , so my guess would be 1/2 plate and centralised rudder also, it's easy enough to remove the plate but doing it on the water would get very wet once the bolt is removed. Certainly on the Caledonian you would want to sail whenever possible

 

[William_H]

Surely fairly simple to cut the CB to shorter chord that did not extend above top of case. Or fabricate a new CB for rowing. OP has not said he wants to be able to sail the boat but we would presume a useful option. If with a cut down rig. ol'will

 

[ylop]

Surely fairly simple to cut the CB to shorter chord that did not extend above top of case. Or fabricate a new CB for rowing. OP has not said he wants to be able to sail the boat but we would presume a useful option. If with a cut down rig. ol'will

The Caledonian canal (which he said he wants to do) is about 50NM long. That would be a heck of a row in a boat that is non ideal - I think given about 2/3rds of it is open loch, the OP is a sailor and there’s no suggestion to the contrary, I think we can assume he intends to sail it too.

 

[mattonthesea]

BTW if 7ft is long enough then I have some almost unused ones. (I gave the dinghy away but kept the oars)

 

[Poignard]

If the OP is going to row when he can't sail he will be facing the wrong way for enjoying the scenery, and he'll have to keep looking over his shoulder to avoid collisions.

If he prefers to use oars rather than my suggestion of sculling or using a yuloh, he could emulate the Venetian gondoliers and use a single oar on an outrigger (while serenading his crew and passers-by), or use two crossed oars like the Maltese dghajsa men.

 

[ylop]

If the OP is going to row when he can't sail he will be facing the wrong way for enjoying the scenery,

Surely the scenery is all around and there is no right or wrong way to be faciing?

and he'll have to keep looking over his shoulder to avoid collisions.

That is more of an issue especially in the canalised sections - perhaps a mirror would help, or since an enterprise is commonly sailed with crew, perhaps he has an attentive crew?

If he prefers to use oars rather than my suggestion of sculling or using a yuloh, he could emulate the Venetian gondoliers and use a single oar on an outrigger (while serenading his crew and passers-by), or use two crossed oars like the Maltese dghajsa men.

I've noticed people rowing dinghies backwards around moorings to see where they are going. Not sure how much less efficient it is...

 

[Egret]

You need to be set up for all the options to change when you get tired. I would agree fit a rowlock on the transom for one oared sculling and more than one set of rowlock plates on the sides so you have the option to row pushing forward - and a seat firmly fixed over the centreboard although you will need the centreboard down a bit to run straight. Good seating position and foot rest very important. Needs to be forwardish such that the transom sits out of the water when fully loaded otherwise it will drag.

Do some trials and see what works. Presumably you are going to sail whenever you can.

Open to the forum for someone else doing the same - is there another budget sailing dinghy that would be capable of doing the trip that would be better for rowing? GP14 probably too heavy.

 

[crewman]

Years ago a friend rowed Loch Ness in a racing 8. They were setting the record for the row. He said it was really depressing as the banks are so far away that it was hard to see any progress. Took several hours in a (fairly good) racing crew.

 

[ylop]

Open to the forum for someone else doing the same - is there another budget sailing dinghy that would be capable of doing the trip that would be better for rowing? GP14 probably too heavy.

I inferred from the OP that he already owned the enterprise. Switching boat for better rowing probably makes no sense, as something else will be compromised instead. All boats are a compromise.

As Dunedin posted there’s a fairly regular traditional dinghy gathering on the canal every few years - perhaps slightly less “racey” styled boats - Sail Caledonia Raid. I’ve considered doing it in the past (when I was daft enough to maintain a wooden dinghy). I don’t think a GP14 would be too heavy. Unless someone has a “support crew” meeting them on land each night the difference between an enterprise and a GP14 is less than the difference between packing really light and making sure you are comfortable! Most of the boats on the raid will be heavier than a GP14. If you find rowing isn’t as good as you hoped - you can always add a small outboard.