To lighten the load on the oar in strong headwinds, which action shortens the inboard?

• A. Lengthen the spread
• B. Add a clamp to the oar shaft
• C. None of the above
• D. Both lengthen the spread and add a clamp shorten the inboard

Answer: (D)

Shortening the inboard—the portion of the oar between the oarlock and the blade—reduces the lever arm and how much blade is working in the water during a stroke. In strong headwinds, this lighter inboard means less water resistance per stroke, making the oar easier to drive.

You can shorten the inboard in two practical ways. First, lengthening the spread (moving the oarlocks farther apart) changes the oar’s geometry so that the blade sits relatively closer to the oarlock for the same position of the handle, effectively shortening the inboard. Second, adding a clamp to the oar shaft lets you reposition or lock the blade nearer to the oarlock, directly shortening the inboard. Using both adjustments together compounds the effect, giving the lightest load on the oar in gusty headwinds.