squeaky oars

[Rich Jones]

For years now, I've been using a double paddle on my Rushton solo canoes. Nothing but silence and the gurgle of water flowing past the lapstrake planking. My latest Rushton is a pulling boat. While as enjoyable as the canoes, it has one irritant. The oarlocks make that common squeak/clunk sound as I row. Especially if I'm trying to get a little speed going. Other than nylon bushings, is there a non-greasy lubricant to quiet things down? The oars are leathered, so they're quiet.

[Thorne]

LOL - I had some folks think that my oarlocks were otters calling when rowing Big River in Mendocino. The trad fix for the "squeak" is tallow, a modern one is waterproof trailer grease, but the bushings or other locks/bases are the only fix for the "klunk".

[Yeadon]

I've used everything from vaseline to butter to whatever else I could find in my boat at the time. Once I used a very greasy sunscreen lotion. I was on a camping trip and didn't have anything else. Worked fine for a while, too.

Tallow sounds fancy.

Speaking of fancy ... McMullen has a bored-out piece of oak that he fills with some sort of grease for his oarlocks. He used a tap and die set to thread on an end cap, and hangs the little container somewhere under his rail. Ask him about it sometime. It's about the size of a plastic canister that you'd use to hold 35 mm film.

[Bill Perkins]

I finally bought a small tin of tallow from Shaw and Tenny (I live with a vegetarian). I like the stuff,which works on the leathers ,the locks ,and your hands .

[Canoeyawl]

vasoline

[BBSebens]

You could go with thole pins. no moving parts!

[Faeringman]

Thole pins get my vote too.

[john welsford]

Anhydrous lanolin

John Welsford

[wizbang 13]

ya had to put 'Non greasy", din't cha.

[Hunky Dory]

I use Crisco, refresh every three trips usually 5 miles a trip.

[James McMullen]

Tallow is perfect. . . .but vaseline is easier to come by. Sorry Richard, but it has to be at least sorta greasy in order to work right. Like others above have said, you'll need to refresh it every so often. That's why I carry a tallow horn with me, just like Pete Culler recommended. (A plastic jar of vaseline works just as well for a lesser investment of gratuitous craftsmanship, but where's the fun in that?)

[Bill Perkins]

I goggled Johns suggestion . http://www.amazon.com/Lanolin-Anhydrous-Pharmaceutical-Grade/dp/B000V70MWS

The price is right on the 5 oz.tub. -$4:50 . The chap sticks might be the most convenient packaging .I gotta try this .Maybe one of our common retail chapsticks would be good.

[Eric Hvalsoe]

A small tube of white lithium grease from Ace Hardware

[Rich Jones]

Thanks all! I'll try things out in the Spring.