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How to Make a Dragon Boat Sweep Oar

The sweep or steersman of a dragon boat uses the sweep oar (also known as a "tiller") to steer the boat. A sweep oar, unlike a rudder, can come out of the water for an out of water recovery. Sweep oars can be manufactured in a variety of materials, lengths, grip types and stiffness. Manufactured oars are much stronger and reliable for competitive dragon boat racing. For hobbyists, a sweep oar made at home can also suffice .

Things You'll Need

Wood oar with a rectangular blade 55 inches in length or more
Saw
Coarse sandpaper
Carbon or composite shaft 10 to 12 feel long
Pipe clamp
Super adhesive glue
Waterproof tape/Polyresin
Drill (with a 1/4-20 sized bit)
Bolt & washers (1/4-20 sized)
*See further reading link for size references.

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the blade off the handle of the square wood oar using the saw.
- 2
  Position the oar blade as it would be held while being used.
- 3
  Position the blade so the cut side is on the left and the end of the blade is on the right. Starting 3 inches in from the bottom left, draw a line to the top 1 inch in from the left. The line should be on a slight angle when drawn.
- 4
  Cut along the line you just drew using the saw.
- 5
  Using the coarse sandpaper, sand the portions of the blade that were cut to make them smooth.
- 6
  Mark the longer portion of the blade as top and the shorter portion of the blade as bottom.
- 7
  Cut the carbon or composite shaft to the length you desire. The most common sweep oar length is approximately 12 feet long (365 to 375 centimeters).
- 8
  Attach a pipe clamp, the same diameter as your shaft, to the top of the blade where you cut the previous handle off. Use super adhesive glue to temporarily hold the clamp to the end of the blade. Wrap waterproof tape around the clamp and blade, completely covering the entire blade. This will hold the clamp in place for the handle and create a smoother surface for the blade to cut through water.
- 9
  Slide the handle into the clamp and drill a 1/4-20 hole through the center of the clamp and shaft. Drill the hole from the left to right side of the clamp and shaft.
- 10
  Insert a 1/4-20 bolt through the hole and secure it with a matching sized washer to hold the blade and shaft together.
- 11
  Test the blade in a bathtub, pool or lake, strengthening the oar as weaknesses show. To strengthen the oar, wrap more waterproof tape around weak areas.

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