Gaco Oarlocks

Less wear, less noise

Written by Christopher Cunningham

From Issue October 2016

The Gaco oarlocks apply the mechanics of racing oarlocks to recreational rowing.

I had been curious about Gaco oarlocks for a long time, and finally decided to buy a pair to see how well they work. Instead of rotating in the socket like a normal oarlock, the Gaco's molded copolymer cradle for the oar rotates around the pin. That’s how locks on racing shells work, and it eliminates the kind of wear that leads to a sloppy fit for conventional oarlocks. I rowed my sneakbox from Pittsburgh to Cedar Key, Florida, using conventional bronze oarlocks, and after two-and-a-half months of rowing the pins and sockets had worn considerably, even though I greased them every day, often more than once a day. As a consequence, the locks developed a lot of play, my catch wasn’t as crisp as it should have been, and the rowing was noisy.Whatever wear there is in a Gaco lock is likely to occur much more slowly. The pin of a standard lock acts as a lever against the sides of the socket, and the pressure at the top of the socket and pin can be more than double the pressure applied by the loom against the horn; the place where the pressure is highest is also where friction occurs. The Gaco lock separates the pressure and the friction: The bottom of the pin still pries in the socket, but the friction occurs at the top of the pin directly forward of the oar and is spread over a much broader area.

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Comments (5)

Jim Tolpin says:

October 5, 2016 at 12:20 am

Can you reverse row—push against the strap away from the pin—at full pressure, or do you have to stop and turn them around for forward facing rowing?
1. Christopher Cunningham says:
  
  October 5, 2016 at 12:57 am
  
  I did some sudden stops and rowed backwards and the locks did fine when I put the pressure on the side of the lock opposite the pin. The molded plastic is very stiff and the latch is quite secure.
Rudolph Bar says:

October 5, 2016 at 8:08 am

Technology catching with ancient methods. How does it compare to the obviously sharply honed technology on racing shells?
1. Christopher Cunningham says:
  
  October 5, 2016 at 5:24 pm
  
  The locks used on racing shells date back at least to a patent (165,072) filed in 1874.That racing lock, and subsequent forms of it, had a gate at the top that opened to let the oar in. That’s necessary for a lock fixed to the outrigger. In a racing shell the gate has to be easily operated with one hand. The Gaco’s “gate” requires a screwdriver and both hands to open. Because the lock stays with the oar and not the boat, the gate doesn’t need to be opened. Aside from that, the oval opening in the Gaco lock is designed for round looms. Racing-shell locks are designed for a D-shaped cross section. The racing-shell lock has an external post to support the lock; Gaco’s post is internal. Aside from the structural differences, the function—putting the rotation forward of the oar, rather than underneath it—is similar.
  1. Jason Knowles says:
    
    October 13, 2016 at 11:29 pm
    
    If you look at the Gaco website you’ll find they also make carbon-fiber spoon blades for oars and suggest constructing shafts for them with a D-shaped cross section (actually more of a trapezoid with rounded corners) for use with their oarlocks. I have a set of their oarlocks that I use with oars with a D-shaped cross section and they work well. I also have a set of their spoon blades but have not yet completed the rest of the oars.
    I’d also like to say that Gaco has great customer service and fast shipping even though they are based in Australia.