#1449: RotatOar

Today’s invention is an oar for a rowing machine. This is intended to give a more realistic rowing action, during training, than the usual handlebar arrangement.

An oar-like arm is attached to the chain which is joined to the flywheel/air damper. The other end of the oar fits into a spring-loaded vertical axle which is, in turn, bolted onto the front stand of the rowing machine.

This allows an oarsman/woman to experience the asymmetry of pulling on an oar and provides an extra source of resistance via the (variable) spring rate.

A further version would allow the axle to be placed on either (or both) sides of the machine. It might also contain a cam within the axle in order to rotate the shaft of the oar according to the current degree of pull-back (thus helping rowers practice turning the blade into and out of the water).