Adjust the pin pitch & angle

The effect of adjusting the sternward  pin pitch and outward pin angle cannot be separated from each other. This can be understood by looking at the extreme values. When the oar is placed parallel to the boat on the catch, the angle of the oar approaches the outward angle. When the oar is perpendicular to the boat, it is equal to the stern pitch (it is assumed that the oarlock and blade pitch both are zero degrees). The two angles influence each other in the intermediate region.

Bow

There are several tools on the market to bend the riggers. This allows the oarlock pin angle be set exactly vertical. This is done by bending the rigger (and not the oarlock pin!). Older riggers can be brittle, causing them to crack rather than bend. Once set up in this way, riggers no longer need to be adjusted during normal use.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	no	no
Classic rigger	Yes	Yes

The bending iron

Rigger wedges

Wedges can be placed between the rigger and the boat for classic riggers. Using wedges with different angles to change the outward angle: a 1.5° wedge will also change the outward angle by 1.5°. The major disadvantage of these wedges is that the oarlock height is also adjusted simultaneously. When a wedge is placed it is recommended - if the oarlocks are equipped with aluminium washers - to use these washers to set all oarlocks to the required height.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	new	new
Classic rigger	new	Yes

The rigger wedge

Washers

By placing washers between boat and wingrigger, the stern pitch of the oarlock pin can be adjusted. It is difficult to set the stern pitches of both pins independently. Therefore, this is not an elegant method.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	Limited	no
Classic rigger	no	no

Fender washers

Aluminum adjusting washers

Two types of aluminium adjusting washers exist, suitable for adjusting the stern pitch and suitable for adjusting the outward angle. The washers start at 0.5 degrees and go up to 3 degrees in steps of a half degree. When placed both above and below (in the opposite direction of the top washer!), four are needed per oarlock pin (two for the stern pitch and two for the outward angle) and therefore eight per rowing place. An excellent and durable but expensive solution, because these washers are not cheap.

If the oarlock pin can not be adjusted sufficiently sternward, this is because the thickness of the wing rigger leaves insufficient tilting space for the screw thread of the oarlock pin. If a oarlock pin with M12 thread is placed, it can be replaced by a oarlock pin with M10 thread. This creates 2mm extra tilting space. That is why this setting option is called “Limited” in the table.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	Limited	Yes
Classic rigger	Limited	Yes

Adjusting washers

Plastic adjusting wedges

Not sustainable but cheap. This is therefore an attractive option, but it is important that the adjusting wedges used for the outward angle are marked. Otherwise, when loosening the oarlock not obvious which adjusting wedge belongs to which pitch/angle (forward or outward). It is also important to mount these adjusting wedges both above and below (in the opposite direction) and to clamp them between normal metal washers, so that they are not damaged when tightening the pin nut.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	Limited	Yes
Classic rigger	Limited	Yes

Adjusting wedges

Axior oarlock

Finally, the Axior dol offers a attractive solution. Its expensive purchase price only justifies its use when the angles need significant adjustment. By adjusting the yellow and blue adjustment rings, the oarlock pin can be placed in any desired position. For the (thicker) wingriggers, always take a rigger with M12 hole and an Axior oarlock  with M10 thread to have enough adjustment space for the forward angle.

	Stern	Outward
Wing rigger	Limited	Yes
Classic rigger	Limited	Yes

Axior oarlock

---

	Stern pitch oarlock pin
	Outward angle oarlock pin