Transom mount sculling attachment

[Clint KY]

Years ago I worked at the Little Neck Yacht Club in New York during the summer. I had two duties. One was to run what they called the launch, which was a wooden boat with a single cylinder engine and stick steering to take folks to their boats, and the other task was to go out from the dock and retrieve people’s dinghies, and tow them back to the dock so they could go get their own boat. The boat used to do this was a plywood craft just a bit bigger than the dinghies I was retrieving. The odd thing about this boat is that it had what first appeared to be a rudder attached to the transom with a clamp resembling an outboard motor mount. But the rudder section was not fixed to the shaft but hinged so it would swing opposite to the handle in the boat – BUT – it would only swing a set amount. I am guessing about 25 to 30 degrees off center, and then would hit a stop and you could scull the boat using it. Does anyone recall anything like this, and if so, if anything like this is made today?

I can scull my canoe but today while putzing around in my pond in the little 10’ jon I thought it would be great to have one of them so I could scull with one hand and cast with the other. I googled it four or five different ways and only came up with one hit and it was an antique but very similar in function if not design.

 

[tomme boy]

Really easy. Mount an oar lock on the transom. Make a loop with a pin so it will swivel in the oar lock. Now use a scull oar to move the boat. Thats how we do it around here

 

[bobberboy]

When I was a kid my folks owned a resort. My brothers and I had a 12' wooden flat bottom with this contraption we called a whale tail. It clamped to the transom like an outboard and was pretty much like a rudder with tiller handle but the rudder was made of rubber. As you nautical types would say, it worked by sculling (here in the mid-west we just moved it back and forth). It worked really well and moved the boat along nicely. I've been looking for an example on the internet but can't find one. The metal parts were aluminum and the tail was a stiff but still flexible rubber.

tomme boy's idea is a good one and easy to do

 

[bobberboy]

an example of what you might not want to do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO5VnvXTlic

and here's one that actually works but looks kind of horsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtv-5t8F29U

and finally tomme boy's very sensible idea (this guy better be from Normandy or he needs to lose the hat!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQVimIrdfik

 

[Clint KY]

and here's one that actually works but looks kind of horsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtv-5t8F29U

This one works along the lines of the one of my youth.
A rudder that has its right and left movement limited.

And when I viewed it I found this one which is the same concept but uses a motor to actuate the sculler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U_IMxdWPPI

I think the idea can be implemented and actually work.

The problem with sculling with an oar at the transom is that the attitude (angle) of the oar is critical and it can not be let go of if I need to play or boat a fish.

 

[Johnny]

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:shock: scull with one hand and cast with the other ???

Where can I get a ticket for that show ? LOL that leaves me out.
I can't even ride a bicycle and wave at someone at the same time.


But on the serious side - - - Clint, do you want to make just the stern bracket
or also make the sculling oar to fit the boat you want to put it on.
I found some drawings when I searched for "Chinese Yuloh".
Or, "single oar sculling" https://youtu.be/XfHE-YHLyMs
Sounds like a fun project if you wanted to make it all yourself.





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[Clint KY]

I can scull with a paddle or an oar but it takes a lot of concentration to get the attitude of the oar correct. What I was referring to was an attachment that works with just a side to side motion. I may try to rig up something along the lines of one of the YouTube ideas, but just to try it. If all I wanted was a way to move my little jon around I would find the smallest electric trolling motor and use that. I just thought the idea of a one handed way to move the boat when I need to was unique.

If I do try to build one it will have to go to the bottom of my "things I want to try" list, which is quite lengthy at this point.

 

[tomme boy]

We hunted out of a cull boat for ducks. You really need a purpose built oar. Our boat just had a hole in the transom and a boot to seal out the water when the oar was passed through the boot.

What you need to practice on is the rhythm of a figure 8. That is the motion to use for the oar.

 

[bobberboy]

This came up on my local Craig's List today.

 

[Clint KY]

This came up on my local Craig's List today.

That is it! Now I have a name "Detroit Hydro Fin".

I may just copy the picture and start collecting parts.

THANKS!!!

 

[Jim]

Awesome! :lol: