Empower/Magik?

[1xsculler]

Anybody see any reason why a good DIYer could not adapt Empower to a Magik sculling oarlock?

[sandor]

Anybody see any reason why a good DIYer could not adapt Empower to a Magik sculling oarlock?

This one?

http://www.magikrowing.com/PRODUCT

I think the load cell is on the oarlock side of the pin, so you would be left with no "meat" left on the magik oarlock to attach it to the pin...

http://www.nkhome.com/shop/media/catalo ... ck_1_1.jpg

[sandor]

Anybody see any reason why a good DIYer could not adapt Empower to a Magik sculling oarlock?

This one?

http://www.magikrowing.com/PRODUCT

I think the load cell is on the oarlock side of the pin, so you would be left with no "meat" left on the magik oarlock to attach it to the pin...

http://www.nkhome.com/shop/media/catalo ... ck_1_1.jpg

But, I do not own the magik, and I have not disassembled the EmPower (yet)

[1xsculler]

I will remain unconvinced that it cannot be done successfully but am waiting for NK to respond to my emails. I am really hooked on my Magik sculling oarlocks for the very positive lock-on feel I experience as I rotate my oars from recovery to drive to recovery, etc., using plenty of silicone lubricant which also limits oarlock wear. Since oarlocks wear out on a regular basis, depending on which oars/sleeves you use, it seems you'd be stuck buying oarlocks from NK unless the Empower can be adapted to C2, Magik, etc.

It appears to me that a little hand work on the Magik oarlock would allow you to attach Empower to it much as it attaches to the NK oarlock.

The Force Cell within the NK oarlock may present a problem.

[sandor]

..It appears to me that a little hand work on the Magik oarlock would allow you to attach Empower to it much as it attaches to the NK oarlock.

The Force Cell within the NK oarlock may present a problem.

the EmPower isn't as simple as a "bolt on" sensor (though the battery & radio & electronics definitely bolt on the opposite side of the pin from the oar)
the load sensor is incorporated into face of the oarlock, to directly sense the load from the oar sleeve, so you would need to compromise the stiffest portion of the oarlock to make the marriage work.

not saying it cannot be done, just that there are going to be compromises along the way.

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[KitD]

That last diagram is interesting. A Magik oarlock does its 'magic' by pushing the sleeve exactly in the direction of the orange arrow. How will this affect the calibration of the EmPower device? Is it designed expecting a Concept2 gate and no force against the pin on the recovery? Genuine question, and it may be irrelevant.

[1xsculler]

Just talked to Joe at NK. No can do with Magik without re-engineering. They use C2 oar locks but attaching must be done by NK for proper results. They have a 2 year guarantee on Empower.

[sandor]

Just talked to Joe at NK. No can do with Magik without re-engineering. They use C2 oar locks but attaching must be done by NK for proper results. They have a 2 year guarantee on Empower which means I would be sending mine back about every there months as that is all I can get out of C2 oar locks when using Cromer pink sleeves.

how many miles do you row in that three months?

Croker specifically says not to use their Mark 3 sleeves with the Magik oarlocks because of excessive wear of the sleeves.
I've used the same pair of C2 oarlocks for the past 4500 miles or so, but did have Greg re-sleeve them. Mark 1 to Mark 3 sleeves - the asymmetric sleeve helped me a lot.

[Steven M-M]

As I understand it, the EmP Oarlock is based on the Croker oarlock. Good for me, since that is what I use. You also have only one choice in oarlock pitch, 4 degrees, which, again, is what I use anyway.

[1xsculler]

According to Joe at NK they use modified C2 oarlocks for Empower. I believe all C2 and Croker oarlocks have 4* of pitch and all can be adjusted by installing different bushings. This doesn't apply to Empower as they use a special bushing of their own which you can't swap out to adjust pitch.

[sandor]

way down at the bottom of the page...

http://www.nkhome.com/rowing-sports/empower-oarlock

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the bushing on the EmPower is definitely much slimmer than the normal sculling bushings.

[1xsculler]

Thank you for pointing that out, i. e. that pitch cannot be adjusted with bushings. This presents no problem for C -shaped pin supports, as pin pitch is has a wide adjustment range but might be a tuning problem for other types of pin supports

[1xsculler]

I have no idea why I wear C2 oarlocks out so fast. I have discussed this with Greg Doyle and we feel it must be something about the water I row in. It is evidently a problem unique to me as other scullers are not reporting it.

[Steven M-M]

Wolf's comment not withstanding, I still think the Emp Oarlock uses Croker oarlocks. Croker owns NK-Aus, where I think the EmP was developed. Also it just looks more like a Croker than C2 oarlock. Whether fast or slow, oarlocks do wear out and NK will provide a "retread" for, I believe, ~$100. Rowing shells have few moving parts and I always wipe out the seat tracks, oarlocks, and oar sleeve after each row.

[sandor]

Wolf's comment not withstanding, I still think the Emp Oarlock uses Croker oarlocks. Croker owns NK-Aus, where I think the EmP was developed. Also it just looks more like a Croker than C2 oarlock. Whether fast or slow, oarlocks do wear out and NK will provide a "retread" for, I believe, ~$100. Rowing shells have few moving parts and I always wipe out the seat tracks, oarlocks, and oar sleeve after each row.

What leads you to believe it was developed in Australia?

NK (on their site) says all design & build happens in the US, and their engineering team are all listed as being Philly-area based (Boothwyn is a stone's throw down interstate 95)

Given the length of time there have been rumblings about "NK's new oarlock" on Boathouse Row, i have just assumed it was all home-grown in Boothwyn. The US M2- has been using them for what seems like forever.