right|thumb|Traditional wooden oars An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Rowers grasp the oar at the other end.
Article
11 sectionsContents
- History
- Construction
- Physics
- Balanced oar
- Oars used for transport
- Oars used for competitive rowing
- Oars used as trophies
- In culture
- See also
- References
- External links
right|thumb|Traditional wooden oars An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Rowers grasp the oar at the other end.
The difference between oars and paddles is that oars are used exclusively for rowing. In rowing the oar is connected to the vessel by means of a pivot point for the oar, either an oarlock, or a thole. The oar is placed in the pivot point with a short portion inside the vessel, and a much larger portion outside. The rower pulls on the short end of the oar, while the long end is in the water. By contrast, paddles are held in both hands by the paddler, and are not attached to the vessel.