"Sweeping" a Typhoon

[Steve]

In the March issue of Sailing, they retrofited a Typhoon. In lieu of an outboard motor, they installed a sweep...a long 10' oar extending from the stern of the boat. Has anyone used or heard of it being used?



steve-loomis@erols.com

[Geezer]

In the olden days it was very common, especially among professional seamen, to propel a small boat by sculling rather than rowing. Old rowboats are often seen with a notch in the top of the transom to engage an oar. The oar was kept immersed and swept back and forth at a comfortable rate. It was slightly twisted first one way and another at sufficient angle to create enough downward force to keep the oar from jumping out of the notch. This was done from a standing position. This method could propel a small boat along at perhaps 2 or 3 knots. This, incidently, is the way that Venetian gondolas are propelled. Wooden Boat magazine had a detailed discussion of this a year or two ago. A boat propelled in this fashion is very maneuverable. By stopping the sculling and merely steering for a moment allows sharp turns. The boat is kept on course by putting a little more effort into one sweeping motion or the other. Try it. It would look very salty and old timey, and an ideal way to move a small boat short distances in relatively calm conditions. A single big oar intended for this purpose is called a sweep. Yo ho!

[GLutzow]

I have owned my Typhoon since 1980 when I purchased it new. It has never had a motor, nor a motor mount installed. When becalmed we either use a sweep or, if I have a crew, I have several long oars that allow other people to participate in the fun. I sail on and off a bouy and have never regretted the lack of a motor. The system works quite well for me and is an enforced catharsis from my over loaded schedules. No I'm not retired!

Greg Lutzow
CEFALU III



nms_inc@mindspring.com

[Dave Low]

In the olden days it was very common, especially among professional seamen, to propel a small boat by sculling rather than rowing. Old rowboats are often seen with a notch in the top of the transom to engage an oar. The oar was kept immersed and swept back and forth at a comfortable rate. It was slightly twisted first one way and another at sufficient angle to create enough downward force to keep the oar from jumping out of the notch. This was done from a standing position. This method could propel a small boat along at perhaps 2 or 3 knots. This, incidently, is the way that Venetian gondolas are propelled. Wooden Boat magazine had a detailed discussion of this a year or two ago. A boat propelled in this fashion is very maneuverable. By stopping the sculling and merely steering for a moment allows sharp turns. The boat is kept on course by putting a little more effort into one sweeping motion or the other. Try it. It would look very salty and old timey, and an ideal way to move a small boat short distances in relatively calm conditions. A single big oar intended for this purpose is called a sweep. Yo ho!

A friend of mine (who is a "purist") has a Kittiwake 23 (another Alberg design) that has a similar arrangement. I think he calls it a "Ule"



davidlow@erols.com

[Al Levesque]

In the March issue of Sailing, they retrofited a Typhoon. In lieu of an outboard motor, they installed a sweep...a long 10' oar extending from the stern of the boat. Has anyone used or heard of it being used?

I have sculled our Typhoon using an oar against an OB bracket that has been partially cut away. I didn't think it moved the boat well enough. I have since thought about trying to mount oarlocks in or on the winches so as to be able to row.

Al



albertlevesque@cove.com

[Jeffrey Clark]

The few times I sailed a Typhoon I always left the motor on the dock, nasty, smelly thing that it is. Always made it back, slowly once. I have uses sculls (sweeps) on other larger boats with great success. I had oarlocks on the transoms of my Wianno (25') and my 20' deadrise and have sculled them several miles on a few occaisons. Sculling is not tiring like paddling. Don't expect much progress against a current. Longer is better. Leave motor, watch, cellphone, pager at dock and give it a try.



jclark@crosslink.net