Here is a clever little bit of re-purposing that the rowers at UCSB sent in: use the empty racks on your trailer to separate out different sets of oars once you get to the regatta. It is a pretty simple idea, but we bet you could find this Trailer Oar Organizer Hack pretty useful at your next away race.
Once the boats are unloaded, you have plenty of empty racks, so rather than take the oars out of the pile they are in on the trailer just to make another pile on the ground--where handles can get wet and collars can get gritty--why not put them up on the racks in the sets they belong to? Turning the trailer into an oar rack will keep those rowing sticks dry, get them sorted, and it might even take less time than carrying them off to a place where you can lay them all out.
Let's face it, putting oars into sets on the ground takes up a lot of space if you have a big team, plus that technique puts them all underfoot, where they can get in the way of both rigging and carrying the boat to the dock. With a multi-race or multi-day regatta, you will have to store them someplace other than near the launch dock anyhow, and the "oars on the trailer" plan not only keeps them nearby, but also makes it easier to check them over or re-set them without crawling around in the dirt. Then, when it is time to launch, it is really easy to see what set you need, and everyone knows where to find them (after all, there may be more than one launch dock to put the oars near, but it should be hard to miss them on the one trailer you brought with you.)
Even if you are storing rigged boats on the trailer, there should be at least one or two lower racks that can still serve as your Oar Organizer. Even on a windy day, this could still be the best place to stash them, if you use this other nifty trick those intrepid rowers out at UCSB sent in: run a strap vertically from the rack(s) above to make a taut barrier that will keep the whole set from falling off the sides. Well hacked!
Share your tips--and hacks--in the comments below.
Have a great rowing hack to suggest for future inclusion here? Send it to us!
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