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.

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

First we cut out the pattern
Then shaped the paddle section
Shaped the sections that will laminate onto the core,
and laminated the pieces together.
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.
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.
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.
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.
They work!
Our South Haven Dory