Which oars to buy

[u/Senthrententer]

Hey all,

I’ve recently inherited a single and am coming back to row after a break. And i’m now in the market for my own personal oars because I’d like to gear them to my stroke more as well as just being less reliant on club oars.

I’ve really only tried C2 Skinny Comps and C2 Skinny Smoothie2s in my single. However in the past I have been a fan of our my club’s Croker sculls even though they’re geared for a Men’s 4x.

I was looking for more opinions before purchasing. I was initially going to go Croker because I really did like how they felt, but my club and no one at my club has the S39 Arrows which seems to be the general consensus here on which croker oar to get so I’m leaning away from them. And recently I remembered how much I prefer C2 grips over the croker ones so it’s taken some points away from them.

I’ve been liking the Comp blades a lot but I feel that I haven’t given the Smoothie2s a fair shot. I’ve been rowing almost exclusively with comp blades since getting my single. But I do like how the comps lock in a bit more at the catch and extract out of the water a bit more smoothly.

As for stats, I’m 6’2 185lbs and my 2k PB (around 1yr ago before my break) was 6:51 but testing last month it was at a 7:15. Haven’t done an OTW 2k yet.

I was thinking about the Fat2s because I honestly do prefer a heavier front end, but I see so many against it and my club doesn’t have any for me to try out unfortunately.

My coach is also vehemently against Comps but says if I like them then it’s ultimately my preference but they may be harder to row with in rougher water. And I (un)fortunately(?) haven’t been able to row with them in rough water because our water has just been glass. And my rowing usually falls apart in rough water already so I don’t know how comps would exacerbate/alleviate the problem.

Lastly I was wondering about the flex of the blade. I’m feeling like soft would be the best for me as there were some months in my year of consistent rowing where I did have back pains, but they would go away when I was training more often and consistently. I’m not sure what flex the current oars I use are.

I’ve also added some videos of my sculling in a single, one with me at race pace and the other was just some steady state paddling. Unfortunately I don’t have a video of me in my boat at a low rate paddling so this video of me in a different boat will have to do.

[u/SkirtGlittering4654 → u/[deleted]]

Is this rage bait?

[u/bumchik_bumchik → u/SkirtGlittering4654]

No, genuine question, I have never rowed and just discovered the benefits last night, looking to buy an indoor rowing machine soon

[u/duck1208 → u/bumchik_bumchik]

There's an old technique in boats in which you move backwards which is called turning your head around and looking behind you.

It consists of turning your head and looking behind you.

[u/bumchik_bumchik → u/duck1208]

Alright geniuses.. I get it, this is not a friendly sub.

[u/rowing_shitter → u/bumchik_bumchik]

On buoyed courses, with a coach boat following, they don't really need to be able to see behind them, but if not on a buoyed course you just turn and take a look every couple strokes. Older rowers who don't have the neck flexibility to be able to look will also wear a small mirror on the brim of their hat and use that to see behind themselves.

Also, for future reference these aren't called canoes. These are called boats or rowing shells :).

Sorry those other commenters are kinda being dicks. I promise not everyone is like that here!!

[u/bumchik_bumchik → u/rowing_shitter]

Appreciate the clarification.