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Broken Oar

2K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Steelheader69 
#1 ·
I sure am having fun with my 12' pontoon boat!

But I broke a Cataract Kick boat style oar (1 3/8" diameter) this last weekend!

The crazy thing is that I don't think it was on a rock -- but I am not sure.

I was going down into the trough of a fairly big rapid on the S.Fork of the Santiam (about 1/2 mile below Sweet Home) and I pulled back on the oars to keep my 79 year old Father-in-law from getting splashed too much. He hardly got wet at all but the oar snapped in half right at the oarlock.

The adrenalin was pumping and I was standing on the foot pegs off the seat and almost vertical when I pulled on the oars.

Question: Is it possible that it was just water and not on a rock? :confused:

The oars are only a couple of months old. Does anyone know if Cataract will cover them under waranty? The place where I bought the boat is contacting Cataract for me.
 
#2 ·
Who sold you the kickboat oars????

You should NEVER have been given a set of those diameter oars on a 12' boat. You should only have been supplied the standard diameter oars. I didn't realize they made the smaller diameter oars in an 8 1/2-9' length (which you should be using on a 12' boat). I'd go back to whoever it was that sold you those and tell them you want some sort of refund and/or upgrade free (minus any cost difference) to the correct oars. It was probably too much pressure that broke them. The amount of pressure vs. boat size/weight would automatically cause too much flex on them. Those smaller diameter sizes are meant for 9' and under sized boats ONLY! I had a set for my old 9' Steelheader and eventually sold them off and used my spare set of 8' full sized cataracts on it. Worked great.

It isn't the oars, more then likely it was the overkill (like trying to land a 50# king on a 3wt), you can do it but won't be pretty or dependable.
 
#3 ·
The are going to fix it!!!

I called Bad Cat River boats and they offered to get me bigger oars even if it costs them money. I didn't even have to ask. Very cool. :hehe: He had me send them the oars.

I am impressed. They also sent me some braces for the oar towers -- and I didn't ask for those either!!! :D
 
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