Oars
by Bruce Anderson

After a short search on the internet, We found this page: "Jim Michalak's Boat Designs" and used the pattern shown to start on the oars.

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These photos are a composite of the first and second oar. Here is what We have so far:

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First we cut out the pattern
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Then shaped the paddle section
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Shaped the sections that will laminate onto the core,
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and laminated the pieces together.
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We used 2 quick release clamps to hold the sections together, then starting from the center and working out, we put the PVC clamps on.
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Each clamp doesn't apply that much force, but once they are all installed there seems to be a good bit of clamping force spread out along the oar.
We ran out of the larger PVC clamps, so we used a few of the smaller ones. We used maple flour for filler in the epoxy. It worked well, but made the lamination lines stick out.
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The oar was shaped with a metal cutting bandsaw, drawknife, planes, files and a palm sander. We used this jig to apply the spar varnish.
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I have heard that if you mount the rough oar in a jig like this that you can shape the oar with a belt sander held at a 45 degree angle to the oar.
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They work!
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Our South Haven Dory
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