Oars

I'm waiting on the plans for the CIY 16 to arrive. I talked to Clint Chase yesterday and they are on the way. He completely redid the plans because there were so many updates from his original, so it's taken him a couple weeks to do it. He has already sent me links to two files which I have printed. One is 60 pages and the other is 120 pages. He is one detailed dude!! Obviously loves his computer and the drafting programs he uses. To top it all off - he is very nice to talk to on the phone. Seems like one super guy. I've heard nothing but good about him. 

While I've been waiting on the plans, I decided to start on the oars. Before I turned my 7' oars loose with the Little Bit, I outlined one to use as a pattern. 

Since I'm trying to do this new build as inexpensively as possible (let's just say it: I'm cheap), I'm using box store lumber as much as possible. I found two pieces of 1x8x12' "common board", which is supposed to be white pine, with just a few tiny knots. I figured I could rip it into thirds, trim two feet off the end (which I would use as the blades), and laminate it into blanks. Here are my two oars:

Well, not really; but hopefully they will become my two 9'2" oars.

I've spent 4 work sessions over the last week totaling maybe 9 hours thus far. 

ripping the boards

gluing up the blades

thems gonna be long oars!

after sanding the squeeze out

laminating the 3 layers

after shaping them up a little with the band saw

8 sided the looms

They are obviously very rough at the moment, but I think I'm going to have, at the very least, two very functional oars even if they aren't perfect (which they wont be - trust me on that). 

Right now they weigh 5.5 lbs each and seem pretty stiff and sturdy. 

Some planing, shaping and sanding yet to go...