I just broke a rental paddle so I had to buy it. Has anyone repaired a broken shaft. I know this would only by a short term fix I still have to get my own paddle but would it work for a few months? Should I pull the blades and make it into a four piece paddle for a future spare?

I broke an Aquabound carbon shaft paddle.

What kind of paddle and where did you break it?

You may have to resort to converting it to a breakdown paddle. Once you break the shaft, you are probably going to end up cutting out the broken section and installing a piece on piping for the breakdown support.

breakdown kits
www.paddles.com/catalog/bdsea.html

shop.wildnet.com/products.asp?pline=ACCPAD

Info on making a breakdown
www.boof.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-831.html

You may want to ask the manufacturer how much it is to repair it.

I hope this helps you out.

Sorry, I totally overlooked the name of the paddle in your post.

Here is a link to all of the dealers in the BC province. One is located right in Abbotsford.

www.aquabound.com/dealers/bc.html

Company info for Canada:

19077 95A Avenue
Surrey, British Columbia
V4N 4P3

Telephone: (604) 882-2052
Fax: (604) 882-9988
email: [mail address protected from spambots with javascript]

Yeah I work at the Abbotsford dealer. I am getting the paddle re-shafted by aquabound cause they are only about 20 min away. I would have had to buy it otherwise and then figure out a way to repair it on the cheap.

I had a set of Seven 2 paddles, and i snapped them in Llangollen, so i got in touch with the company an they said they cant fix them even if i pay them, ive only had the blades for just over a year so the warranty has ran out,

i am so disappointed in the companys style regarding breakages, an will never buy from them again

I have a friend who has had a similar experience with seven 2. I have heard that if you get a good one then you are set for life. If not then your screwed. Try a werner they have a great warranty and replacement policy.

Thats what i went for, i got a new set of Werner Player Carbon, and i love them, thanks for the advice tho

It's not that hard to repair a broken carbon shaft: you can buy carbon inserts (to make your own breakdown paddle) that fit exactly inside your paddle shaft. Simply use epoxy glue to glue the whole thing back together (they use the same stuff to make the paddle, right?) and presto, one as good as new paddle. Of course you may have to cut off any slintery bits at the broken ends of the shaft but that should be all the damage.

Use tape (pacakging tape, not ducktape) to cover the epoxy when it's hardening out so it becomes really smooth (saves a sanding job). Don't forget to put a piece of shrinkwrap on the shaft before you put it together so you can seal the repair of nicely (it's only cosmetical, make sure you make the seal watertight with epoxy).

BTW: I've repaired some paddles that are used on flatwater and in the surf with wooden dowels and provided you seal of the wood properly (so it does not rot) that lasts for quite a while. I would not use those paddles on white water though. Not with the kind of wood I used, you need better quality wood for that (this was pine or something).

It wasn't the chaft that actually snapped, it was the blade, but it was where the shaft goes into the blade, so must be the weakest part of the paddle, i'm looking at getting a T piece from a canoe paddle and turning it into a C1 blade, hehe

AQUABREAK should be their name!! I saw about a countless number of those break on the rivers

Yes they have had a history of breaking paddles. That does seem to be more in their past though. The paddle I broke was a number of years old. It may have seen some abuse that no one knows about before it broke.

Youngy wrote:

It wasn't the chaft that actually snapped, it was the blade, but it was where the shaft goes into the blade, so must be the weakest part of the paddle, i'm looking at getting a T piece from a canoe paddle and turning it into a C1 blade, hehe

I'm no expert but I think canoe and kayakpaddles differ in size etc. Why don't you remove the leftovers of the snapped blade and put in a new blade instead?

To remove the leftovers use flat wooddrills (I'm not sure how to call those in English. In Dutch they are named \"spie boortjes\". Jeroen, do you know the proper English for that? ). Start with a drill size that barely fits the hole in the pegs (leftovers in the shaft, they are usually hollow) and gradually work up the size until you reach the shaft itself. Be careful and don't use too many rpm's on your drill as this can be a bit dangerous/tricky. I always clamp the paddle in a vice so I don't have to take the full force on my left hand.

The hard bit is ordering a new blade but it's usually cheaper than buying a new paddle.

Cheers,

Michiel