Rope Wrap Instructions
Rope Wrap Kit Instructions
Warning: Wrapping oars is a challenging process. We recommend reading through all the instructions before you start.
Rope Wrap Kit Includes:
- 80’ Braided Nylon Rope (3/16” diameter)
- Enough for (1) 15–18” wrap or (2) 7–8” wraps
- Wrapping instructions
Tools Needed:
- Heavy hammer
- Block of wood
- Optional glue/epoxy
Preparation
- Take a 2 ft length of your rope and tie the ends together, making a closed loop. This will be used in step 4.
- Determine the area to be rope wrapped. A rough rule of thumb is that 2/3 of the oar should be outboard of the oarlock or clip and 1/3 inboard. Other things to consider include the distance between oarlocks, the height of oarlocks above the water line, seat height and position, and rowing styles.
Note: Every inch of wrap uses 3–4 feet of 3/16” diameter rope, depending on the diameter of the oar. Wrap zones of 20–24 inches will use 80+ feet of rope.
Instructions
1. Optional Glue/Epoxy Preparation
If you plan to wrap over epoxy or other glue, mask off the area to wrap and spread the glue. Glue under the wrap can increase the longevity of your wrap, but it makes the wrapping process much harder.
2. Start the Wrap
Tape or hold down the first 2 inches of rope to the handle end of the wrap zone. Make a sharp 90° bend (perpendicular to the shaft) and then wrap over the top of it, entrapping the rope to the oar.
It is important that this first wrap is very tight and the rope is kept taut (stretched) at all times. One or two helpers can greatly improve your success.
3. Continue Wrapping
Proceed spiraling the rope down the shaft, keeping the wraps tight together until you are about 6 inches from your predetermined endpoint.
4. Install the Pull-Through Loop
Slip your 2 ft loop of rope under the next wrap. A little more than half of the loop should be laid down on the shaft so that it can be wrapped over, with the rest laying on the existing wrap.
Continue wrapping, stopping while at least an inch or so of the loop is still free.
5. Secure the End of the Rope
At this point, cut the rope so that an inch of the rope can be tucked through the loop and forcefully pulled back under the wrap in the step above.
Do not loosen tension at any time during the wrap—especially now! Hold tight to the bitter end until it is entrapped and pulled under the wrap.
6. Pull the End Under the Wrap
Place the wood block at the other end of the loop. This loop end should be coming out of the wrap approximately 6 inches from the end of the wrap.
With the handle end of the oar against something solid, take your hammer and drive the block towards the handle. This will pull the loop out from under the rope wrapping.
The loop should entrap the bitter end and pull it under the wrap, where it should be firmly held.
After pulling the bitter end approximately 2–3 inches under the wrap, the loop should come free and be easily driven out.
If a gap remains at the exit point of the loop, you can use your hammer (the claw end works well) to lightly rearrange the wrap to close the gap.