A well known rule of thumb for figuring oar length is that approximately one-third of the oar will be inboard of the oar mount and two-thirds outboard of the mount. Observing this ratio will help ensure that your oars are well balanced for comfortable rowing.

How do you know what size oar to use?

The Original Shaw & Tenney Oar Length Formula

Divide the span by 2, and then add 2 to this number. The result is called the “inboard loom length” of the oar. Multiply the loom length by 25, and then divide that number by 7. The result is the proper oar length in inches.

What size oars for a 14 foot row boat?

An average rower with a 14' raft and 66" tower width might choose 10' oars for a light day trip. But fully loaded the boat may support 9.5 foot oars. If you can spoil yourself with different sized oars, you can adjust accordingly.