Generally oarlocks are composed of either a U or ring shaped upper part mounted on a pin, which is received in an aperture in the gunwale of the boat to be rowed. The U or ring shaped part receives the oar and allows for all the movements described in the previous paragraph.

Over hundreds of years oarlocks available for recreational rowing have shown little improvement beyond the aesthetic, such as making them out of bronze or stainless steel instead of galvanise iron. They tend to suffer from excessive weight, excessive wear, excessive friction, corrosion, and awkwardness in use. As well the U shaped rowlock does not capture the oar thereby exposing the rower to possible loss of rowlock or oar. The ring shaped rowlock does capture the oar but with such difficulty that it commands a minor share of the market.

The oarlock developed for racing sculls has however developed to a point of high refinement. It is a composite device made of a plastic oar holding body generally mounted onto a stainless steel pin which remains fixed to the outrigger. It has an adjustable gate and is light almost frictionless and non-corrosive. In action it is smooth and efficient.

The racing oarlock described in the previous paragraph is unsuitable for recreational rowing boats for several reasons.

1. It does not contain its own pin 2. It is the wrong shape and size for the normal rowing oar 3. Its method of manufacture is elaborate and costly The invention described below obviates all the problems mentioned above.

An oarlock (U. S. terminology) is also known as a rowlock (pronounced rollick) in the U. K. and Australia SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of this invention is to facilitate the manufacture of a low cost low friction, durable oariock, which can lock onto an oar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and cost effective way of locking the pin into the oar holding body.

A further object of the invention is to lock the pin into the oar holding body in a manner, which allows the pin to rotate easily in the oar holding body.

These and other objectives are obtained with an oarlock containing an oar holding body made of a flexible low friction substance, which rotates around a metal pin.

The oar holding body has an interior circular, elliptical or"D"shape and is ideally designed to allow a small clearance for the oar in the horizontal plane and a larger clearance in the vertical plane to allow for the vertical movement of the oar. The oar holding body rotates around a metal pin, which rises through a substantial part of the front of the oarlock. In order to function properly the pin must rise past the point in the oar holding body, which accepts the thrust of the oar on the rowing stroke.

The rear part of the oar containing loop of the oar holding body encloses the back of the shaft of the oar and continues over the top of the oar and terminates in a catch. The said loop being made of flexible material can be flexed open to enable capture of the oar. The catch may then be snapped shut to both contain the oar and the pin in the oar holding body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation view of an oarlock embodying the invention in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the oarlock in the closed position.

Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or being carried out in various ways. The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DESCRIPTION NOF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the oarlock 10 embodying the invention. The oarlock 10 comprises a pin 6 adapted to be mounted in a near vertically extending aperture (not shown) in an oarwell or the gunwhale of a boat. The pin 6 includes an annular shoulder 7 on its top.

The oarlock 10 also comprises an oar holding member 9 through the front of which the pin 6 substantially rises. In the preferred embodiment the oar holding body 9 contains a hole 5 with sufficient clearance to allow the pin 6 to rotate freely.

The oar holding body 9 comprises a crutch 8 and in the preferred embodiment a flexible oar containing loop/gate 2. In the preferred embodiment the gate is provided with a catch 11 at its leading end portion comprising retaining member 3 with a tongue 4 and locating member 12. The tongue 4 on the retaining member 3 locks into a slot at the front of the oar containing body 4a.

At the top of the oar holding body 9 a receptacle 11 a for the catch 11 is located. In the preferred embodiment this is concentric with the hole containing the pin 5. Near the bottom and allowing clearance for the pin is located a rectangular slot 4a of suitable size to accept and retain the tongue 4 on the retaining member 3.

According to the construction described above the loop/gate 2 can be closed by pressing the catch 11 into the receptacle 11a till the tongue 4 is elastically urged into the slot 4a. To release this engagement a screwdriver or similar device must be pushed into the slot 4a to disengage the locking tongue 4 from the slot 4a.

The oar retaining catch 11 also retains the pin 5 about which the oar containing body 9 rotates. Releasing the catch 11 and opening the loop/gate 2 may remove the pin 5.

It should be understood that alternative embodiments need not use the same kind of catch 11. For example the retaining member 3 could be replaced by two laterally placed retaining members, which could locate into lateral slots.