RAFT OARS & PADDLES

CALL - 408.295.2628 Oars Oar Accessories Paddles

The whitewater oars and rafting paddles below from Carlisle and Sawyer are mainly for river use and fly fishing. For flatwater use, there are less expensive oars, often available through fly fishing stores. For kayak paddles, please click on "Inflatable Kayaks" to your left and from there you will find the i.k. paddles. This section was updated May, 2008

Oars

We are presently carrying mostly Sawyer oar shafts and blades, with a few 8" blades from Carlisle and Sawyer.
Several years back Carlisle was bought out by a company called Johnson Outdoors. They also purchased Extrasport (lifejackets), Ocean Kayak Co, Necky, and were already affiliated with Old Town Canoe. This purchase was bad news in some respects for users of Carlisle's river gear. Oar pricing went up quite a bit, and so did the mid-grade raft/canoe paddles. The total number of models and color options in both paddles and oars has also decreased dramatically, though that is not the biggest problem.
One of the first things Johnson did was to mess with the plastic composite used on Carlisle's oar blades, as well as the Carlisle Guide paddle blades. Some genius at Johnson decided he could formulate a better blade material than what the old owners of Carlisle used successfully for decades. Don't know his name; we'd love to post it if we did. This donkey has caused headaches for every dealer and distributor of Carlisle whitewater equipment. The plastic Mr. Genius "formulated" snapped like a potato chip if it even got near a rock. Why someone would insist on messing with a product that worked fine as-is remains a mystery. Carlisle supposedly un-did genius's work a while back, but we still hear about breakage all the time.
As time goes on we are striving to find substitutes for most Carlisle products where available, and for that reason we have brought Sawyer oar shafts and blades back into our inventory. The shafts are more pricey, but that is because they are fiberglass rather than aluminum like the Carlisles.
Sawyers's Polecat shafts have a beefy reinforced end where the blade hole is drilled, and these are just as strong as Sawyer's more expensive composite shafts, albeit a tad heavier.
It is important to note that you can mix Carlisle blades with Sawyer shafts, but the overall length of a Sawyer blade is 2.5" longer than a Carlisle blade - and the length of their shafts is 2-1/2" less than Carlisle's equivalent. This means that if you mix a Sawyer brand shaft for the 9' length with a Carlisle blade, the oar will actually end up being only 8'9-1/2" long, not a full nine feet.
One other important detail regarding Sawyer shafts: Since the blade end on the shaft is reinforced with a second, thicker outer layer (the striped portion on the left in the picture just below), and the handle end has a round protruding retainer pin head, the standard version Oar Sleeves below will not slip over them. You need to either use a table saw to cut a thin slit lengthwise down the sleeve, or pay $2 extra per sleeve to order pre-slit ones from us. We occasionally have time to cut them but usually we just buy them cut from Sawyer, and they do charge more than Recretec, our main supplier of sleeves.
Sawyer's plastic oar blades are about the same price as Carlisle, but the catch is that they don't make the eight inch wide versions some rowers prefer, so we will continue to carry those in the Carlisle brand. The Sawyer 6-3/4" Duramax is an aluminum cored, glass filled blade made from a hard version of polyprophylene.
If you want two-piece Sawyer shafts we will only be stocking them in the 9-1/2' and 10' sizes.
Sawyer Duramax blades come in black only, and the 8" Carlisle blades come in yellow or black. Blues have been discontinued. We are also now stocking Sawyer's composite Dynalite blades, for those who want to keep their oar weight to a minimum. Sawyer shafts are yellow (they make black, and the white shown in the photo directly above as well, but both are very hard to find if you drop them in the river). Prices below are for orders of two or three shafts. Single oar/oar shaft orders are subject to a $10 handling fee.

Carlisle 8" Outfitter Blades: $55 each;
Remaining stock of 6.5" Carlisle Blades: $48 each.
Note: Due to the breakage problems mentioned up above, and to extensive troubles getting Carlisle to cover them under warranty, we will no longer accept any returns on broken Carlisle blades no matter how easily you may feel they broke. We are advising not to buy this brand at all; if you do, it is at your risk.

Sawyer Duramax blades: $49 each
Sawyer Dynalite glass blades: $119 each
Note: Sawyer blades use a large nylon headless "screw" that you back into the button hole of the shaft, not a pop-up button like the Carlisles.
Sawyer Polecat Fiberglass Shafts, yellow only:

7': $67 each
7-1/2': $69 each
8': $72 each
8-1/2': $75 each
9': $77 each
9-1/2': $89 each, non-stocking item
9-1/2' Two Piece shaft: $110 each
10': $89
10' Two Piece Shaft: $113 each
Longer Sizes: Call to request.

For two-piece breakdown shafts in the 7' through 9' sizes, add $20 per oar.

Please note that all shafts for oars over 9' are subject to a 30lb. minimum UPS charge. This is UPS's policy, not ours.

Oar Accessories

Oarsleeves: $12 each
Oar Rights: $15 each

Silicon Bronze Oarlocks: $19 each, $37 per pair
Note: the Oarlocks we currently carry will not let the shafts pass through the horns. This is to help retain the oar without the use of extra keeper straps or bungies. To slip the oar out of them you need to slide the shaft down to either the blade or handle end.
Mini Bronze Oarlocks for Outcast: $17 each (specify 1/2" or 5/8" shaft); this is a non-stock item so allow 3 extra days.

Raft Paddles

Please note: due to high packaging costs there is a $60 minimum order on raft paddles, or a $5 surcharge for lesser dollar amounts. This is to cover the cost of the large, expensive cardboard boxes we usually use for shipping. Also be aware that due to UPS's "oversize" upcharges, one five foot paddle costs the same to ship as half a dozen, and it is really not economical to order just one or two or three.
While we do have access to many different brands of fancy fibreglass canoe paddles, we don't sell hardshell boats, and most rafters (and tandem inflatable kayakers who want short single blade paddles) lose paddles somewhat often so the less pricey Carlisles and Bravos are a good choice. We carry three types:

Carlisle Econo Paddles ($18) are light and durable with their unbreakable polyethylene blade. They also float well. We stock five-footer's with yellow or red blades & handles and we also have four foot lengths (black blades & handles only) some of the time. The four's are very appropriate for two-person IK's. Econo's have polished anodized aluminum shafts with a covered grip area to help keep your hands from getting black.

The Standard Paddles ($26), five feet long, are what we used for rentals; this size is usually all we keep in the store. These come in several color combos though our stock varies constantly. Since Johnson Outdoors bought out Carlisle several years back, you can no longer "have it your way", i.e. they won't make up unlimited color combinations anymore.

The Bravo Pro ($31) is a new product that we won't have in stock until July of this year, but we wanted to post it anyway since we are updating the paddle & oar page.
The Pro is not available in a full 5'6" guide paddle length, but what we are stocking is 5'3", which can still work if you aren't sitting too high off the water at the back of your raft. This is the longest Bravo makes. These Italian made models are very strong in the blade, and the shafts are close to the Carlisle Guide paddle in resistance to bending. They are also almost as heavy too, so they don't float as well as the two lighter standard Carlisles above in foamy water. They have yellow blades, a wide T-handle, and black, "high grip" shafts coated with a hard rubber compound. Considering they aren't much more than the standard Carlisle canoe paddle above, and are far cheaper & less prone to breakage than the Carlisle Guide model (see below), the Bravo Pro represents a terrific value.

Carlisle's Guide Paddles have been discontinued (by Carlisle, not us), and it may be for the best. They used the same blade as the "HD" Oars, which since 2003 have been breaking at the nearest hint of a rock. If you insist on the Guide model, NRS does carry some for the time being, but again, better treat it gentle if you buy one.

We also have a few German-made Scheck paddles left in 58" lengths ($33 each, blade shown above with talc sprinkled on for contrast). These are a very nice paddle with oval grips and hollow ABS blades. These are not "bombproof" or indestructable like the Bravos, but they are half the weight and if you're not a paddle abuser you will find the Scheck feels much like a glass paddle. Closeout - no returns on Schecks.