The new Magik Oarlock "Evolution" has just been released by the manufacturers.
Based on the successful MK1 design, the new oarlock incorporates some great new features which have been added as a result of user feedback. If you gave us your comments and views, thank you very much. Everything you said was passed back to the design team and we hope you'll agree that the new Magik Oarlock looks great!
The photo shows the rowing (sweep) oarlock on the left and the sculling one on the right.
Design improvements:
- Yellow sliding lock mechanism visible from top of oarlock so you can see when it is fully engaged
- Pivot (bottom yellow circle) redesigned to raise the level of pivot avoiding chafing against wing rigger mountings
- Tensioning elastic band shortened to avoid chafing against wing riggers
We are looking for volunteers to test out both the sculling and rowing Magik Evolution oarlocks. If you are interested, or want your coach to see them, please email and give us your name, club and postal address. This offer is based on the expectation that if you test for us, you write a review for our website shop page.
MK1 Evolution lock mechanism close up and the pivot mechanism close up.
Hi, Burton Leander presently use the MK one on all our sculling boats competing at national level and at Henley RR, all club rowers give positive feedback to myself about the MK one gates. As a club we would be keen to test the mk two and provide feedback. This year we are looking to send 2 fours to HRR and Champs as well as our usual complement of scullers. All would be keen to try the new version, either in sweep or sculling form.
kind regards
Rob Jephcote
Captain, Burton Leander RC
address: Burton Leander RC, The Boathouse, Stapenhill Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, DE15 9LE
Rob, delighted to hear your enthusiasm.
I will send you one pair of each to test at the address above.
You will have two weeks to try them out and then you can either buy them at a 5% discount or return them to us in the mail.
With best wishes
Rebecca Caroe and Grant Craies, Rowperfect UK
Rebecca,
Wadham College Mens first eight have been using the mark 1 gates for a couple of years so would be able to use the sweep gates under race conditions for cpmparative purposes.
Kind Regards
Mark Nixon
That’s great news, Mark – thanks for the offer
Please get in touch with your address so that we can send you a pair to try out.
https://www.rowperfect.co.uk/contact/
Rebecca
PS I see Wadham has just bought some Dreher sculls – thanks for your custom!
Hi Rebecca,
I used to have MK1s on my old boat 2 years ago. 06-07 I was stuck in a crewboat but have come back to sculling last summer. As you might have seen at Norwich Head my new boat has no MKs at the moment. That is mainly because that was the way it came but having lost big in the croatia open in early spring due to some mini crabs with worn sleeves suggested that another try of MKs could be beneficial.
I will be going to twickenham, northampton on the WE around the 25th, and then walton, peterborough, marlow, reading, marlow again, then i wont qualify for HRR, and so on in the single.
I will be going to croatia after the royal probably so i could flash them around there, too and I will put it on my website thomasmertz.com as soon as the re design is up.
If you are interested let me know!
T Mertz, Richard Woods House 4/3, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ
p.s. On some really old rsr threat i have read that you could resleeve crokers? Id like to get an asymetrical one on mine since this half round current design drives me mad. Having prehistoric tools and no real boathouse here makes me reluctant to do it myself…
In fact why dont I just “test” some sweet apex rex for some weeks 🙂
Regards,
Thomas
Thomas
How good to hear from you again. We would be pleased to let you try the new MK1 Evolution and also some Dreher High Modulus Apex REX sculls. If you are going to Northampton, why don’t you call by Cambridge on the way (!) and pick them up?
I can mail you the MK1 oarlocks to your address and you’ll have two weeks to give them a good trial. Would you write us a review of your findings?
We can re-sleeve Crokers, but you have to first buy the sleeves from the Croker agent. He won’t supply them to us. But if you can get them – drop them off after the Northampton regatta and take the Drehers to try out then you won’t be without sculls while we do them for you.
Give us a call to confirm.
Best wishes
Rebecca Caroe
Hi All,
I have used the MK1 sweep gates before and found that there was certainly alot more definition to the catch in terms of feeling the blade lock on. I have been a fan of the concept and the science behind Magik gates for a number of years.
I have recently taken over at Wycliffe College and I am looking to retrofit all our top boats with the Mk1 evolution gates. I would love to try a set for our J15 quad that will be going for a medal at Nat Schools and HRR in the Fawley.
I have secretly ordered 1 set for one of our lucky kids to try out in their single.
Regards
Jonny Garrow
HoR Wycliffe College
Jonny
Thanks for your enthusiasm. We’d be delighted to work with you to set up the whole club with MK1 oarlocks. Let us know how your ‘secret’ buying plan works out with the guy in the single.
I find that they are very helpful for novices as well as experienced rowers because they help to define the ‘square’ and ‘feather’ position so there’s more certainty for a beginner.
regards
Rebecca
I tried these in my single last year for about 6 months persisting in the hope of getting used to them.
Even with the lowest tension on offer I found both feathering and squaring both stiff and unnatural with a significant loss of “feel”. Swapping between oars with Concept2 and Croker (asymmetric) sleeves made no difference at all. Have returned to standard Rowlocks and am much more comfortable. I suspect if one was to “learn” with the rowlock they may then struggle learning feel of the water rowing without them.