Shaw & Tenney Blog
We’re excited to announce we have a new Shaw & Tenney Whitehall, in-stock, available for purchase. The Whitehall, originally priced at $34,000, is listed at $28,000 and includes a pair of Shaw and Tenney Spoon oars and cast outrigger oar locks.
Are your beloved Shaw and Tenney wooden oars showing signs of wear and age? Don't let their charm fade away – with a little care and effort, you can restore them to their former glory.
Why Shaw and Tenney Oar Handles Remain Slip-Free and Comfortable
Shaw & Tenney is committed to hand-crafting the world’s finest wooden oars and paddles. Through its 165 years of operation the company has been shepherded by three families.
The summer of 2023 will mark the reopening of the historic Wood Island Life Saving Station in Kittery Point, Maine. The predecessor to the US Coast Guard (founded in 1915), The US Life Saving Service opened the station in 1908 running it for 40 years until it was decommissioned in 1948. The Wood Island station was maned by surfmen who
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How to Size Your Oars
To determine the correct length oar for your boat measure the distance between the port and starboard oar sockets. Then apply the Shaw and Tenney oar length formula to determine the oar length that will provide the correct 7:18 leverage ratio. This length will provide an oar where 7/25 the length is inboard of the oarlocks and 18/25 of the oar is outboard of the oarlocks. It is the ideal ratio to row almost all boats. Sized correctly, when rowing your hands will be 1 to 3 inches apart and you will be pulling directly towards your abdomen. If you are popping out of your oarlocks when rowing your oars are far too short. If you prefer an overlapping grip, add 6” to the calculated oar length. If you have more than one rowing station in your boat, measure both. Typically they will require two different length oars which is fine if you’re going to be rowing tandem and need two sets. Otherwise you’ll need to compromise the correct length to work properly in both stations. If you are rowing more than 75% in one station size the oar to that length. As always feel free to call us and were happy to help you select the correct oar length and blade style for your boat.
The Original Shaw & Tenney Oar Length Formula
To help our customers size their oars correctly, we’ve been using the same formula since 1858: Measure the distance between the center of the port and starboard oar sockets, which hold the oar locks on each gunnel. This is called the “span” between the oarlocks. Divide the span by 2, and then add 2 to this number. The result is called the “inboard loom length” of the oar. Multiply the loom length by 25, and then divide that number by 7. The result is the proper oar length in inches. Round up or down to the closest 6” increment.
How to Size Your Paddle
For traditional wooden paddles the ideal length for the Stern paddler is the bridge of your nose or 6 inches less than your height. For the bow paddler the paddle reaching the cleft of your chin or 9 inches less than your height is correct.
For our Racine paddle if you are over 5’6” tall select the 63-1/2” length and the shorter paddle if you are under5’-6”tall.
When paddling solo we typically recommend a bow length paddle. For Canadian style solo most paddlers prefer an even shorter paddle.
For paddling canoes when standing (yes our mother let us do this) a 69 inch or 72 inch paddle is usually about right.