A rowlock , sometimes spur (due to the similarity in shape and size), oarlock (USA) or gate, is a brace that attaches an
oar to a
boat. When a boat is rowed, the rowlock acts as a
fulcrum for the oar.
On ordinary rowing craft, the rowlocks are attached to the
gunwales. In the sport of
rowing, the rowlocks are attached to
outriggers (often just called "riggers"), which project from the boat and provide greater leverage. In sport rowing, the rowlocks are normally U-shaped and attached to a vertical pin which allows the rowlock to pivot around the pin during the rowing stroke. They additionally have a locking mechanism (properly known as "the gate") across the top of the "U" to prevent the oar from unintentionally popping out of the rowlock.
Originally, rowlocks were two wooden posts or
thole
Thole is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Josh Thole (born 1986), American baseball player
* Julius Thole (born 1997), German beach volleyball player
* Kik Thole (born 1944), Dutch field hockey player
* Karel Thole
Ca ...
pins that the shaft of the oar nestled between. Single thole pins may be used when the oars have holes cut into the loom, which then sits over/around the thole pin.
Sport rowing
In sport rowing oarlocks were originally brass or bronze and open (no gate). With the advent of modern materials oarlocks are now injection moulded plastic and precision made to minimize play (slop) between the oar collar and the oarlock. The most recent sport racing oarlocks have a spring loaded feature to keep the oar collar firmly against the pin at all times.
Oarlocks are technical pieces of equipment in sport rowing, holding the oar shaft and therefore the oar blade at the correct angle in the water to ensure optimum performance.
Heraldry

The Norwegian municipalities of
Fosnes,
Radøy and
Tjøme have rowlocks in their
coats of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...
. Rowlock is used in the coat of arms of
Hailuoto,
Finland, to symbolise the maritime economy of the island municipality; the coat of arms is
blazoned as "
Azure
Azure may refer to:
Colour
* Azure (color), a hue of blue
** Azure (heraldry)
** Shades of azure, shades and variations
Arts and media
* ''Azure'' (Art Farmer and Fritz Pauer album), 1987
* Azure (Gary Peacock and Marilyn Crispell album), 2013
...
a rowlock
argent."
A type of rowlock is also featured in the
canting arms of
Hankasalmi
Hankasalmi is a municipality of Finland.
It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of
() and covers an area of of
which
is water. The population density is
.
The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
Han ...
, alluding to the municipality's name (''hankain'' = rowlock, ''salmi'' =
strait
A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...
).
[{{cite book , title = Suomen kunnallisvaakunat , publisher = Suomen Kunnallisliitto , year = 1982 , page = 130 , isbn = 951-773-085-3 , language = fi]
References
Rowing equipment
Water sports equipment