oarlock location

[Bikermouse]

This may sound like a dumb question, but it'd be dumber if left unasked.

I was planning on building a little dinghy for my first built boat, basically a Sabot, and found one locally that I picked up at a real good price.  I bought it because the mast and sail will fit the Sabotina (Glen-L design) and I figured that those pieces alone will save me hundreds of dollars. 

You can see pix of the boat (along with a fairly inaccurate description) at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260175872788

Since I'm building a sailboat, and this one, with its leeboard instead of a dagger board, doesn't seem like what I want, I was thinking about getting some restoration practice in and fitting it out as a rowboat for my Mom, who's been wanting one.

So, my question is, assuming that the center thwart is a fairly good balance point to sit while rowing (I'll have to float it and check that out), how far aft of the board should I put the oarlocks for comfortable rowing?  Is there an accepted formula or distance, or is it just whatever feels comfortable?  Having never had a rowboat, I'm not even sure what comfortable would be, and it'll get most of its use on the east coast, too far away for me to come out and make adjustments.

Advice is always appreciated, even when it isn't taken, 

[Frank Hagan]

I've always considered oarlocks' best location to be where the oars would be straight out at 90 degrees from the boat when you hold the oars in the middle of the stroke, but I'm not sure that's correct.  Jim Michalak has a diagram that shows this, and some calculations for oar length, etc. in one of his newsletters at http://homepages.apci.net/~michalak/15apr07.htm

[lewisboats]

A general rule of thumb is that the oarlocks should be positioned using the following guidelines. Center the upper arm of the rower vertically in the middle of the body's side and measure the distance (edited to add: from the tip of the elbow...) to the center of the side of the palm of the hand. Use this # to measure from the center of the seating area of the thwart aft of the thwart and place the oarlock there. This approximates the center of the stroke...and usually there are a few inches of forward/aft room on the thwart to position the derrier to find most comfortable spot (and adjust for different people). Having cleats on the sole/floor of the boat for the heels is important so you are not relying on friction to brace the feet and you can exert thrust and brace yourself via the leg muscles instead of just using the lats and arms.

Steve