PROMOTING THE COMMUNITY
Discover How The World’s Top Oars Are Made In The Rogue Valley Written by Emily Hunter, Travel Medford S tanding the challenge of time - and river rapids - Sawyer Paddles & Oars have overcome many roadblocks to become the world-renowned company Unbeknownst to either party, this first partnership was the moment of inception for what would be Sawyer Paddles & Oars unchallenged reign as an industry leader in the niche market of wooden (and composite)
they are today. Discover how these oars have shaped the way modern river travel and water sports - from fishing and boat drifting to canoeing and paddle boarding. Legend has it that Ralph Sawyer never really wanted to get into the oar business in the first place. A renowned Great Lakes marathon canoeist, in 1967, he broke free from Michigan and put thousands of miles between himself and his partners at Sawyer Canoe Company. Ralph was content to run the handcrafted wooden paddle division from Rogue River, Oregon and sink into his newfound love, west coast whitewater. Meanwhile, Willie Illingworth was a Southern Oregonian fervently searching for the perfect drift boat design. Out of a mutual affinity for hand shaping innovative boats and boat components, Willie searched Ralph out and unrelentingly pestered him into fashioning wooden oars for his yet to be manifested dream boat. After all, who better for the job than a pro wooden canoe paddle builder. When Willie began constructing his now signature aluminum, McKenzie style drift boat, Ralph gave in and handcrafted his first set of wooden oars for Willie.
oars (and paddles) for decades to come. According to Jim Bittle, current Willie Boats CEO, one through-line has always remained the same between the companies; a strong ethic toward collaboration with each other and industry wide. Bittle states, “There is power in numbers and partnership. Companies with well-grounded relationships can tackle obstacles and finish strong. Both companies value where we are now and understand how we got here. Over the years, Willie Boats has worked with Sawyer owners Ralph Sawyer, Bruce Bergstrom, Pete Newport and the current leadership team, Zac Kauffman (CEO), Israel Ramirez (Operations Manager), and Shyne Tourville (Production Supervisor) to develop oars that are unrivaled in the industry.”
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The Business Review | September 2022
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