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