Ship's Boat Oar Length

[gieb8688]

Hello,

If I have a ship's boat that is 9cm long, what would be an appropriate length for oars?  

Thanks,

Mark

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Mark, it rather depends on the type and scale of your boat and whether it would be single or double banked.

A little more information would be helpful.

 

B.E.

[gieb8688]

Understood, thanks B.E.  The ship's boats I am using are the Model Shipways kit (MS0106) and the boats are approximately 9 cm long.  Here is a picture of the boats.  I am just looking for approximate oar lengths so they look appropriate.  These boats are on the 1/78 Sergal HMS Victory.  Hope this helps.

Thanks again,

Mark

[allanyed]

Mark,

The Art of Making Masts, Yards, Gaffs, Booms, Blocks and Oars as Practised in the Royal Navy,   Steel and Goddard, London gives  dimensions of each part of the oars including the handle, loom, body and blade which add up to the total length.  Steel does mention that the length of the oars was about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 X the beam of the boat.  Some information on both ship's sweeps and ship's boats oars follows.  

Also, Up to 1780 Victory would have carried six boats from four oared cutters to launches over 30 feet long.  After 1780 she would have had the launch replaced with a long boat of similar  size plus another 4 oared cutter of about 18 feet for a total of seven boats.   Hope this helps.   Allan

 

DIMENSIONS OF OARS FOR BARGES, LIGHTERS & SHIPS' BOATS

Breadth or                               Length                                       Loom                      Blade               Handle                                                                                    (Square)

Tonnage               Sweep Handle  Loom  Body or    Blade                       Broad            Thick         Diam                Shank                                    Inner  Outer  Inner  Outer     of

Tons                       feet      ft. in.    ft.in     ft.in.          ft.in.      in.            in.       in.      in.       in.         in.

130                          27       1-3       11-0    6-0          9-0         4 ¼             4        7        3 ½      1        1 ¾

20                            21        1-0       8-6     4-6          7-0          4              3 1/8   6 ¼    2 7/8   7/8    1 ¾

Breadth in Ft In

7-0                            20     0-10      6-0      6-10       6-4           4              3 1/8   6 1/8   2 7/8   7/8    1 ¾

6-0                            19     0-10      5-0      7-2         6-0          3 7/8            3      6          2 ¾    7/8    1 ¾

5-0                            18     0-10      4-0      7-6         5-8          3 7/8            3      6          2 ¾    7/8    1 ¾

4-6                            17     0-10      3-6      7-4         5-4          3 ¾            2 7/8  5          2 ¾    7/8    1 ½

4-0                            16     0-10      3-0      7-4         5-4          3 ¾            2 7/8  5          2 ¾    7/8    1 ½

 

                                

 

 

[gieb8688]

Excellent information, thank you!  Now I am off to do some calculations!!  

Thanks again,

Mark

[Jaager]

The length of oar per boat type and the number of them are in a table in W E May.

It is from 1886  but should provide realistic data.

I f you do not have a copy, list the various boat types and their lengths and I will extract the specific data.

[gieb8688]

Hi Jaager,

From what I can tell, they would be 25 ft.  

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Jaager]

To add to this topic  I am posting - with Guild permission as copy of the data provided to NRJ subscribers in 1979.

It is from USN Standards 1900

 

 

oars.pdf

[allanyed]

Mark,

At your scale of 1:78 a 25 foot boat would be about 3.85 (97.7mm) inches long and the overall length of the oars would be in the neighborhood of 2" to 2.15" (50mm -54.7mm)  Again, hope this is of some help to you.   

Allan

[gieb8688]

Thank you Jaager and Allanyed!!  Excellent information that is very helpful!  I appreciate the assistance!

Thanks again,

Mark

Edited December 18, 2020 by gieb8688

[Larry Cowden]

On 12/17/2020 at 10:39 AM, gieb8688 said:

Hello,

If I have a ship's boat that is 9cm long, what would be an appropriate length for oars?  

Thanks,

Mark

What is your opinion of the Sergal kit? I was following another builder doing a Mantua Victory and found the beam dimensions of the bulkheads were a full 1" narrower than the original plans.

[Bob Cleek]

Did Royal Navy boats carry oars of varying lengths to suit each rowing station as did whaleboats which carried oars between 16 to 18 feet long, together with a 22 foot long steering oar?

[gieb8688]

Hi Larry,

My situation is a little different since I am doing a restoration of a model that had been built back in the late 1970's, early 1980's.  Having said that, I can comment that the rigging plan detail leaves something to be desired.  This is especially true since I am a first time wooden ship model builder.  Thank goodness for the large volume of reference materials on the Victory and the amazing knowledge contained within this site!! 

Thanks,

Mark