Thanks Howard. Its a clever idea, but I'm trying to keep things simple and its probably a bit complicated to adapt to a little sail boat.

Great to see you on the forum Slieve. Yes, I want to learn about yulohs. I know about your notes too, and intend to refer to them.

I thought how handy it is, though, to be able to manage at any time with one oar, and how handy it is to be able to leave a dinghy with just one oar, and know that the chances of getting it pinched is less than if two oars. I just thought I might start with an oar. I presume the skill is transferable?

No, I haven't given up!

Thank you David, advice much appreciated. I do recall reading something like that somewhere, and had forgotten. It might have been from Welsford in fact, I had forgotten, anyway.

I have been thinking about some proper oars for Little Dipper (my Golden Bay) following Culler's model. Looking forward to doing some rowing.

Thanks for the advice regarding length, too. I have a bit of a problem rowing out of the mangrove creek. Without a rear vision mirror it is almost impossible to avoid fouling mangroves with the oars, one side or the other - and, you know, the old neck is a bit stiff these days. Sometimes have to pull the oars right in and row with the looms under my neck!

I think I want the right oars to match the dinghy - and the answer for the narrow creek is obviously to learn how to scull over the stern properly. I must make the effort. I've watched Marcus and he can not only propel a dinghy with a single scull, he can pull, push and shove with quite a bit of power when the occasion calls for it. I've really got to buckle down and learn to do this.

Six months ago I bought a second-hand rowing machine and set it up on the jetty, down here in the mangrove creek, where rowing should be a pleasure.

Not dependent on the tides this way.

I have never really had a proper rowing boat - always just general purpose dinghies, and never before thought of a sliding seat. With little dinghies short rapid strokes seems to be best. So no point in anything fancy in the way of balanced oars etc.

As R. D. Culler once remarked about dinghies of poor model: "They're so bad you can't row 'em, you just sort of pry 'em along".

But the rowing machine has made me aware of something that half of you probably knew already: a decent rowing boat that likes long slow strokes, might go better with a sliding seat.

Which brings me to the newly acquired Welsford Golden Bay, which is really nice to row. It might have the legs of PreLim and Buddy, I wouldn't be surprised. (Its looking to be more of a rowing boat than a sail boat under its current over-sized lug sail. It responds quickly in light airs but I don't dare try it yet in gusty conditions. Its definitely got to have a junk rig).

I want to give it side tanks and a moveable thwart, as suggested by Marcus and recommended by David too. I wonder if it could be set up with a short moveable thwart accurately placed between two buoyancy tanks - on little plastic runners of some kind - making a sort of sliding seat for rowing. Would that work?

Can anyone who knows about these things advise?