Angus Oxford Wherry

Chesapeake Light Craft has partnered with Angus Rowboats to manufacture and ship kits for their designs from our shop in Annapolis, Maryland. Builders will purchase the plans directly from Angus Rowboats, while kits for these designs are ordered through CLC. 

The Angus Oxford Wherry

Not to be confused with the Oxford Shell, the Angus Oxord Wherry is a lightweight, easily-driven pulling boat. Built stitch-and-glue style, this is a good design for novice builders. Starting from CLC's pre-cut kit is a great way to save time on sourcing materials and the computer-cut parts ensure a fast, accurate build. 

A Thoroughly Modern Design

The Angus Oxford Wherry combines the elements of the classical rowing wherry—a sharp entry, narrow waterline, and fair sweeps of the planks—with modern CAD/CAM design and wood-epoxy composite construction. The result is an elegant, fast, and functional sliding seat wherry.

Some of the features of this boat include mahogany rails and trim, red cedar seats, and Lloyds-approved BS1088 Okoume marine plywood. Fiberglass sheathing, both inside and out, ensures a robust abrasion-resistant hull. Flotation chambers aid in self-rescue in the event of a capsize.

This Angus Oxford Wherry has generous freeboard to allow heavier payloads, and means that you can keep rowing when the wind and waves pick up. No need to restrict your itinerary to calm conditions.

Combining performance with stability was a major goal for designer Colin Angus. Minimal deadrise amidships reduces wetted surface and improves stability. A sharper V in the sections at the bow and stern slice through waves and form lateral resistance to enhance tracking.

Carries Two Adults

In calm conditions the Angus Oxford Wherry can accommodate two adults and a child (or pet). Children under 50 pounds can sit on the flotation chambers at each end. When voyaging solo, the Wherry can handle a good bit of chop. With a sliding seat rowing system you will be passing most recreational kayaks and canoes. While not a tandem rowing boat (that is, four oars), there's room for an adult passenger. If the passenger is a rower as well, taking turns at the oars will give you a much greater range on the water. 

This boat can be used for solo exercise or for family fun. At only 53 lbs unrigged, one fit person can load it on roof racks. This wherry works with the Angus Rowboats sliding seat rigs, or you can use CLC's drop-in rig. 

Canoe enthusiasts will be pleased to know the Angus Oxford Wherry also functions perfectly as a canoe. There is very little difference between the hull of a canoe and a well-designed open rowboat. And the weight of the Oxford Wherry—about the same as a Kevlar canoe of equivalent size—makes for fast paddling and easy portaging.

Check out the profile of the Angus Oxford Wherry in Small Boats Magazine.

This Boat is Fast!

In June 2013, Steve Price and Colin Angus broke the nonstop speed record from Whitehorse to Dawson City in the Angus Oxford Wherry. The men rowed 444 miles (with the current) nonstop in 50 hours and 50 minutes. The Angus Oxford Wherry is ideal for long distance voyaging and they rowed individually in two-hour shifts, while resting on a sleeping mat during off shifts. To break the record, the boat needed to be fast and capable to manage the wind-swept waters of Lake Lebarge and to thread the infamous Five Finger Rapids with the weight of two men and a lot of gear. Read the article here.

Angus provides sliding-seat/rigger kits suitable for rowing the Angus Oxford Wherry. The Drop in Rowing Unit by CLC also fits..

Specifications

Length Overall: 15' 10" (488 cm)
Waterline Length: 15' 7" (475 cm)
Beam: 38" (97 cm)
Weight: 53 lbs (27 kg)
Watertight Compartments: 2
Depth: 11"
Freeboard at 250 lb displacent: 7.5"
Freeboard at 600 lb displacement: 5 "
Block Coefficient: 0.39
Prismatic Coefficient: 0.51
Sprint Speed: 11-12 km/hr (6.5 knots)
Cruise Speed: 6-8 km hr (3-4 knots)
Maximum Recommended Touring Load: 500 lbs (225 kg)
Maximum Recommended Short Distance Load: 600 lbs (270 kgs)