| Oars are used to propel the boat. They are | | | | Classic oars were made out of wood, but |
| long (250–300 cm) poles with one flat | | | | modern oars are made from synthetic material, |
| end about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called | | | | the most common being carbon fiber. Since the |
| the blade. An oar is often referred to as a | | | | use of synthetic materials, the weight of an |
| "blade" in the case of sweep oar rowing and | | | | oar has come down from over 7 kg, to less |
| as a "scull" in the case of sculling. A | | | | than 2.5 kg. The most common makes are |
| sculling oar is shorter and has a smaller | | | | Concept2s and Crokers. |
| blade area than the equivalent sweep oar. | | | | |
| Classic oars were made out of wood, but | | | | Blade shapes |
| modern oars are made from synthetic material, | | | | |
| the most common being carbon fiber. The most | | | | The blade shapes are commonly "macons," |
| common makes are Concept2, Croker, and | | | | "spoons," or "tulips" which are used for |
| Dreher. | | | | novice boats, and "cleavers" or "hatchets" |
| | | | which are used for racing boats. A macon oar |
| In sport rowing, oars are used to propel the | | | | has an elliptical shape and has a ridgeline |
| boat. Sculling oars are around 284cm - 290cm | | | | running down the center of the blade face, |
| in length and rowing oars 370cm - 376cm long. | | | | around which the blade face is symmetrical. |
| The shaft of the oar ends with one flat end | | | | The blade is squared off at the end. Due to |
| about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called the | | | | the blade face symmetry, macon blades are |
| blade. The part of the oar the oarsman holds | | | | ambidextrous and can be rowed either on the |
| while rowing is called the handle. While | | | | port or the starboard side of the boat, |
| rowing, the oars are supported by metal | | | | although in most cases, aesthetic issues |
| frames attached to the side of the boat | | | | concerning the decorative paint on the blade |
| called riggers. | | | | faces may dictate an oar as belonging to one |
| | | | side of the boat or the other. |
| The parts of an oar are (labelled from | | | | |
| outside first): blade, loom, 2/3rds of the | | | | A hatchet blade's face is somewhat |
| way up is the collar (consisting of wearplate | | | | rectangular and looks like a hatchet, hence |
| and sleeve) and button, and at the very end | | | | the name. The shaft of a hatchet blade |
| the handle and grip. | | | | connects to the hatchet offset to the top |
| | | | edge of the blade. The shape of the face and |
| An oar is often referred to as a "blade" in | | | | the offset connection is designed to maximize |
| the case of sweep oar rowing and as a "scull" | | | | the surface area of the blade in contact with |
| in the case of sculling. A sculling oar is | | | | the water during the rowing stroke, while |
| shorter and has a smaller blade area than the | | | | also minimizing excess material that would |
| equivalent sweep oar. | | | | not contribute to driving the boat through |
| | | | the water. A hatchet blade is not |
| There are hundreds of different variations of | | | | ambidextrous. |
| oars, but these are the most common types. | | | | |