What would you say is the more efficient option? 1) installing removable oarlock brackets which utilize 2 collapsible oars; or 2) paddling the fish kayak style (a single 2-bladed collapsible oar).
Since I live on a relatively narrow, curvy canal (lots of boat traffic) which leads to Great South Bay, I absolutely need some method of rowing my sunfish efficiently in and out of my canal (about 1/4 mile), and for emergencies (ripped sail, broken rudder, wind dying, strong currents, crowded marinas, etc.) I have seen examples of rowing rigs for the fish on the internet and in the sunfish bible which incorporate home-made brackets and two 5 1/2 foot oars, all of which can be a pain to store on board when sailing and to setup and remove (my fish does not have a storage area in the aft end of the cockpit). I naturally plan on trying both options, but I always like to get ideas and input and other points of view beforehand. It seems to me that using a double bladed kayak oar would give the advantages of allowing me to face forward, and stowing 1 collapsible oar would be easier than stowing 2 oars in addition to oarlock brackets and oarlocks. The downside would seem to be less efficient rowing.
My second question deals with going from rowing to sailing and vice versa. Is my better option to keep the sail with the booms upright against the mast and secured to it by the mainsheet when rowing, or to simply store it on deck and then haul the halyard to rig and derig like normal. It seems to me that if I were able to securely stow the sail with the booms upright against the mast, the deck would be less cluttered for more efficient rowing and the rig wont be bouncing around scratching up the deck.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks so much!
Since I live on a relatively narrow, curvy canal (lots of boat traffic) which leads to Great South Bay, I absolutely need some method of rowing my sunfish efficiently in and out of my canal (about 1/4 mile), and for emergencies (ripped sail, broken rudder, wind dying, strong currents, crowded marinas, etc.) I have seen examples of rowing rigs for the fish on the internet and in the sunfish bible which incorporate home-made brackets and two 5 1/2 foot oars, all of which can be a pain to store on board when sailing and to setup and remove (my fish does not have a storage area in the aft end of the cockpit). I naturally plan on trying both options, but I always like to get ideas and input and other points of view beforehand. It seems to me that using a double bladed kayak oar would give the advantages of allowing me to face forward, and stowing 1 collapsible oar would be easier than stowing 2 oars in addition to oarlock brackets and oarlocks. The downside would seem to be less efficient rowing.
My second question deals with going from rowing to sailing and vice versa. Is my better option to keep the sail with the booms upright against the mast and secured to it by the mainsheet when rowing, or to simply store it on deck and then haul the halyard to rig and derig like normal. It seems to me that if I were able to securely stow the sail with the booms upright against the mast, the deck would be less cluttered for more efficient rowing and the rig wont be bouncing around scratching up the deck.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks so much!