Do you have an oar in your boat

[CSH Kucinski]

I carry a paddle which is required and like Keek a 10' collapsible pole.

[eriksat1]

I have never carried one, and I don't think it is a law in WI.? My boat reg. says it is 16' even though the Ranger measures 18' from tip of bow to transome. If my big motor and trolling motor both crap out I will let the wind have its way with me until I hit shore. I'm sure as heck not going to paddle very far even if I had one.

Oh come on REW. Where are you? Please tell us a story about how useful these things are.

[grizzley]

don't have any; but then again, we always go up river, and can just float back down.

I need to get one or more for the boat. really don't think they would be too usefull trying to manuver a 1654 tracker grizzley back up the river, but at least could get it over to the shore, or to the next downstream launch, which could be quite a distance from where we launched.
as others mentioned, would probablly be used more for pushing out of shallows than anything.
I always carried oars on my other boats, and will have either a paddle or oars on this one too.

[fetchwillie]

Originally Posted by Ned

I thought it was a requirement at one point or another to have an oar also.

But looking at the new handbook it doesnt appear to be that way anymore.

http://www.boat-ed.com/sd/handbook/checklist.htm

Yeap, called GFP and South Dakota DOES NOT require an Oar anymore.

[eriksat1]

A good 2 piece 12 ft. push pole with a duck foot would be of a lot more use than a oar or paddle.

[Seedtree]

I have a plastic paddle that collapses down to a couple feet in length or so. The main reason I have it is because I fish quite a bit on a lake that only allows electric motors, so I use it around the landing to prevent grinding my trolling motor prop in the rocks. Also, it has a good hook-type handle that allows me to grab a dock cleat and pull in the boat to tie it off.

Wouldn't want to try to paddle for distance with this puppy.

[REW]

It might surprise you, but YES, you can paddle a 3000 lb boat with a paddle.
When you buy a paddle for your boat, be sure to get one with a handle that is long enough so that you can paddle from the side of the boat and actually reach the water.

If the wind is not beating you up, it is surprising how far you can actually paddle a rather heavy rig.

REW

[Crawler Killer]

For movement an oar in a big boat is basically useless but most states require one in the boat. The most comon use for an oar is as a push stick when you get run up in shallow water.

In my part of the country waving an oar over your head is the recognized signal for being in some kind of trouble, broke down or a medical emergency for instance. Sooner or later it will happen so its a good idea to have one with you on the boat.

[4JawChuck]

I've rowed a fully loaded 21ft boat to shore before, about half a kilometer across a fast moving river.

It's not impossible, pretty thankful we had two in the boat...if we only had one it would have taken a lot longer to Scull that distance with one oar.

I find it hard to believe people think it's a useless device, saved our sorry butts that day. The walk back to the launch was the worst part...not having oars would have meant a swim across the river to the side where there was a road...that swim would have been very dangerous with the rip from the current.

I was happy to be alive and dry.