Oar
A shafted lever with a blade at one end used to propel a rowing boat, pivoting against the boat at a rowlock rather than being held free like a paddle.
Definition
An oar is the long lever a rower uses to move a boat, with a shaped blade at the water end and a handle at the other. Crucially, an oar pivots against the boat at a rowlock or gate, which acts as a fulcrum, so the rower drives the boat forward by levering the blade through the water.
In sweep rowing each rower handles a single oar with both hands, while in sculling each rower uses two shorter oars, called sculls, one in each hand. This attachment to the boat is what separates an oar from a paddle, which is held free and used in canoeing and kayaking.
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- 2026-09-01
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