Row, Row, Row your boat – but watch your hands!
We all know, when you participate in any activity that involves repetitive motion of your hands, you are likely to develop calluses. For example, each time you go to row, whether it is with a crew, or if you are going solo, your hands are likely to hurt and you might get blisters.
Another thing that might happen is if the handle to the oar gets wet, your hands might slip off the oar causing you to drop it. If that should happen, you can get hurt as the handle slams back into your body. Hopefully the oar will not fall out of your hands and start floating down the river on its own. If that occurs, you better hope you are not on a Class 4 or 5 rapids. Or if you are working out at the gym, the handle snaps back into the machine, letting you fall backwards off the machine. All of these could mean serious injury or even in severe cases, death.
Grip Shrink
If you play tennis or golf, you know that the grip on the racket/club is a type of material that helps prevent slipping and cushions the grip. You still will get blisters as your hands get accustomed to the grips but they aren’t as bad as if you were holding a solid wood or metal handle.
The material used for the grip on the oar is a product called Grip Shrink. Grip shrink helps you hold on to whatever you apply it to. It is very easy to use too.
- Slip it over the handle
- With a heat gun, heat the tubing until it starts to shrink around the handle
- Let cool
Once the Grip Tubing is cooled down, then you are ready to go. Grip tubing comes in three different inside diameters so there is a size that will fit just about anything.
