How to Choose a Rowing Blade

To choose a rowing blade, start with your discipline, because sculls and sweep oars are different lengths, then pick a modern cleaver shape in a size your coach agrees suits your strength. For most club rowers, a carbon cleaver set up to your boat’s rigging is the right answer. The exceptions are juniors and novices, who may do better with a smaller blade, and anyone on a tight budget, who can buy a good used pair.

Ask your coach or club before buying, since blades have to suit your boat’s rigging.

Start with what you are rowing

A club boat comes with its own oars, set up by the club. If you are buying for your own boat, the decision starts with the type of boat, whether you scull or sweep, and the water you row on. Sweep oars and sculls have different lengths and handles, as outlined in our guide to equipment for sweep and sculling.

	Sculls	Sweep oars
Overall length	Roughly 2.8 to 2.9 m	Around 3.6 to 3.8 m
Oars per rower	2	1
Typical inboard	85 to 90 cm	113 to 117 cm
Boat measurement to match	Span, 156 to 162 cm	Spread, 83 to 86 cm

The inboard, span and spread ranges are the common settings listed by Concept2. They are starting points, not targets. Concept2 also notes that the narrower the spread, the shorter the oar should be.

Blade shapes

• Cleaver (asymmetric, sometimes called hatchet) blades. The standard shape in modern rowing. The blade is not symmetrical about the shaft, which suits the way it travels through the water. Most clubs use these.
• Older symmetrical (Macon) blades. Still found on older kit. They suit some rowers, but tend to be less efficient than modern shapes.

Within cleavers, makers offer several patterns, and each one changes the oar length that works. Concept2’s own guidance is a useful example:

Concept2 blade	Scull blade length	Oar length advice
Big Blade	44 cm	Less efficient than Smoothie2 Plain Edge
Smoothie2 Plain Edge	46 cm	Baseline length
Smoothie2 Vortex Edge	Not listed	1 to 2 cm shorter than Smoothie2
Fat2	Check with the maker	4 to 8 cm shorter than Smoothie2 Plain Edge

That last row is the mistake to avoid: changing blade pattern without changing oar length means you are no longer rowing the set-up the maker intended. To see where blade shapes fit into the story at the top of the sport, read how technology has changed Olympic rowing.

Size and surface area

A larger blade grips more water, which tends to suit strong rowers and heavier crews. A smaller blade is more forgiving for lighter rowers, juniors or novices. As a rule of thumb, if a set of blades leaves you unable to hold your normal rate by the end of a session, or your form fades early, the load is probably too heavy, so ask your coach to check the set-up.

Area is only part of the picture. The load you feel depends on how the whole oar is rigged, including inboard length and gearing.

Weight and balance

Weight matters most at the handle end. A heavy oar is tiring in a long recovery, but a very light oar can feel twitchy. Look at the oar’s stated weight and its balance, and compare in your hands. Stiffer shafts transmit power more directly, while a more flexible shaft can feel kinder over long sessions. This is largely down to preference and experience.

Materials

Material	Good for	Watch out for
Carbon fibre over foam or honeycomb	Racing and regular club rowing	Costs more, and knocks can damage it
Fibreglass or other composites	Training and budget kit	Tougher and cheaper, but heavier
Wood	Cheaper or older oars	Inspect closely if buying used

Fit and rigging

Oar length, inboard and outboard measurements, and the setting of the gate all depend on your boat and your size. Together they decide the leverage and how hard the stroke feels, so change one thing at a time. Get your coach or boatman to set it up, and do not change it mid-season without good reason.

Write the settings down so you can return to them: oar length, inboard, span or spread, and the date.

Try before you buy

If you can, borrow or trial a pair at your club for at least 2 outings, one of them in rough water. Pay attention to:

1. How the blade enters and leaves the water.
2. Whether it feels heavy at the finish.
3. How it handles in rough conditions.
4. How the handle feels in your hands, including the grip diameter.

Talk to other rowers before deciding. If you are unsure, buy a good used set from a club or maker instead of a new pair.

Looking after blades

Rinse blades after use, dry them and store them out of the sun. British Rowing’s boat-check alert lists undamaged blades and secure, properly set buttons as a check before every outing. Look at the collar, button and sleeve for wear, and inspect the blade edges for chips and cracks.

See how to clean your rowing oar for a cleaning routine, and how to maintain your rowing equipment for the wider picture. More advice is in the boats and kit hub.