Sculling a peapod

[PeterSibley]

Sculling a peapod...is it possible? Are you going to put too much weight too far aft standing in the stern?

I've been looking at Beach Pea as a general dinghy,mainly for rowing ,for which I think she would be delightful smile.gif ,but I'd also like to teach myself to scull and would like whatever I build to be suitable .I know a transom sterned design would solve the problem,its just that the How to Build section of those issues of WB featuring Beach Pea are very very worn. smile.gif

Any suggestions as to her suitablity?

[johngsandusky]

Can't answer about the sculling, but they row beautifully

[PeterSibley]

You have one John ?

[rbgarr]

There was a thread about sculling a few years (?) ago and IMO forumite Ben Fuller would be the source for good info on sculling a double ender. If you can't find the thread and his contact info, the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, Maine may have it.

[Ben Fuller]

For any good sculling boat you need to get a third of the way forward from the stern for success. So good sculling has to do with your oar length. I have a dedicated sculling oar, 10' oar with a 4' blade. You want to be able to stand and pod based boats let you do it.

For any double ender you will need a out rigger onto which to rig an oarlock. It does not have to be hard up on the stern post. On my ducker it is probably a foot or more from the stern. Rig it so you can try sculling on port or starboard sides. In the real sculling cultures the oar goes on the port side for right handed scullers. It allows you to face forward with you right hand across your body letting you get your whole body into it without having to twist around.

Go for it....

[N. Scheuer]

I've never done it, but I'd say "Sure"!

Back when we had a Dovekie, I used to scull it frequently. The sculing lock was positioned ten inches or so forward of the sternpost, on the starboad side. This effectively positions your own weight 10" forward of where it would be for a sculling notch in a transom.

Then if you use an oar a little longer than strictly necessary, your weight will be even farther forward.

I'd give it a try.

Moby Nick

[PeterSibley]

Thank you for the encouragement...I'll do it. smile.gif

[johngsandusky]

No, I don't. but a local guy built one for fishing, and let me try it out, rowed smoothly, easily, fast.

[Ian McColgin]

N. Scheuer is on the track of what worked for me to scull Leeward, a Camberlain gunning dory.

Like the peapod, Leeward is too narrow aft for getting the oar centered, so I hung it off the starboard quarter such that I could stand easy between the stern sheets and the center thwart. Gardiner had drawn a thwart in that spot that I made removable after my first year, and used or did not use at whim.

I found that the regular 8' working oars were just fine for sculling once I modified the rowlock to stick out at a little angle both out and back. That took the angle of the loom better and let the action of the blade be just a bit off center, working just under where the rudder folded up.

The effect of the oar being not parallel to the centerline - blade in a bit - should have accentuated the starboard positioning's tendency to turn her to port but in actuality, blade angle during the scull is more important and it's quite natural to develop just a bit more bite as the hand goes out, a bit less as it comes in, to make a smooth straight-line scull.

There are few things so pleasant as sculling up an estuary with your head just over the marsh grass.

G'luck

[PeterSibley]

There are few things so pleasant as sculling up an estuary with your head just over the marsh grass. I can only agree Ian.One other advantage ,one that is high on my list,is that it's a lot harder to steal a dinghy with just one oar...at least the theives who steal my dinghy will be a more seamanlike bunch :D