Broken Tip

[ab4usa]

So I lend a guy my new 10' 6 weight to go steelhead fishing last week. I am suppose to leave Sunday for a 4 day trip and last night he emailed me that he broke the tip on his trip. What is the right thing for him to do? Is it OK for him to get it repaired or is it a "you broke it you own it thing? Now my primary rod is gling to ba a 9' 8 weight weight no back up. He offered me his friends 11 foot 7 weight but it doesn't feel right to borrow a rod from someone I don't know.

 

[sandfly]

reason i don't lend rods. he should pay to get it fixed or replaced if he is a real friend.

 

[Fishidiot]

If just a couple inches or less were lost, you can glue a new tip top guide and it should be fine. If more of the tip was lost, I'd consider the rod a lost cause. Tip repairs are precarious and, in my experience, very hard to do effectively.

 

[Chaz]

It's an easy fix if you have the parts and the tip of the ord is all that is broken. You heat the tip top with a very cool flame and the rod piece will come out, you then get some 5 minute epoxy and glue it together again. On the off chance that the tip top won't fit, you have to get a new tip top. Most fly shops can do this for you, if you don't feel comfortable yourself.

 

[KeithS]

If I was your friend, I'd arrive at your house with a replacement rod before you leave on Sunday, or at least with the $$ to replace it, in time for you to get one. There would be no question. If you lent me a whole rod in one piece, you'll get a whole rod back in one piece. This is why I don't borrow expensive or meaningful items.

 

[boychick]

If it is a rod has a lifetime warranty have your friend pay to send it in for a new tip section, if not, he bought it. You should be left in the same position you sarted in before you lent him the rod; you should have a fully functioning rod in the end.

 

[salmonoid]

My experience is that rods can be replaced but friends are harder to replace. Don't let an inanimate object ruin a friendship.

Make sure there is no additional visible damage in the tip section, figure out the diameter of the tip, as it is probably different than what the original tip-top was, get a new tip-top and epoxy it on. Or, if it has a warranty, use it. The decent thing would be for your buddy to take care of it for you, so you may need to communicate that to him. I'm sure he isn't feeling great about breaking it.

 

[Swattie87]

Agree with the above. If it's a new rod, it likely has a warranty and they will likely replace the entire final section of the rod as opposed to repairing it. If there is a warranty fee or shipping costs the right thing for your buddy to do is probably cover those costs, but don't let that come between you. In the meantime, that 8 weight will work fine for your Steel trip. In any case, I don't think it's right to put him under an obligation to buy a now broken rod from you. You let him borrow it in good faith and it was an accident I'm sure.

I recently broke the last 2 inches off a 5'6 UL spinning rod. I snipped the rod down to the next eyelet and now I have a 5'3 UL spinning rod. The difference in feel and performance was minimal and the rod is still plenty usable.

 

[ab4usa]

He is going to send it off for repair. It was a new rod to me but without warranty. If fact I hadn't even fished it yet! I will use the 8 wt and hope that nothing happens to it. I've learned my lesson though and won't be lending in the future.

 

[skybay]

It is a good thread,

To lend the rod to a friend is a “touchy” subject and friendships can be at risks here.

I broke this year two or three rods by myself and I sympathize with your lost.
One rod at the first day on Salmon River –9 wt Orvis, than few days ago on steelhead fishing trip - the nice 6 wt Sage rod. They just mysteriously “snap” – no clue why.

From my point of view: if your friend broke a rod (you can lend your rod only to the best friend…right?) he should replace the rod with EXACTLY the same rod or the better one without any delay or problems.
The little concerned angler and gentleman would replace it with a smile and extra little something (like fishing flask full of old brandy… :-D ) for your mental disturb and discomfort.

Feelings play the role here and it is a companion over the material object. Follow your heart and senses. There are too many rods and not many good friendships.
[color=0000FF]~~~[/color]

 

[Swattie87]

Here's the issue I have with thinking that it's all on the friend to replace the rod, or buy the broken rod from you...If it's not a brand new rod, many of your own actions (jamming the rod tip into trees, smacking shot or beadhead flies into the rod while casting, wrapping line around the tip, etc) over the course of owning the rod could have contributed to the ultimate failure. Maybe the next time you would've went to put a bend in the rod it would have snapped on you instead of your buddy? Depends on the scanerio I guess. A buddy snapping a rod over his knee is different than a rod breaking in the process of reasonably normal use.

 

[azjackstraw]

Great Thread!
I agree its a touchy situation. Real friends are harder to replace than rod sections.
Many things come into play on a rod breaking. Was it a brand new rod, or just new to you? If it was brand new, I would have to wonder about a possible manufacturing defect. If it was a second hand rod, the list would go on and on.
But if a so called buddy snapped it over his knee, that would be a different story.

 

[JackM]

Crushed in the window, he pays, snapped by abuse, same thing. Breaking under normal expected conditions should not impose obligations-- the rod may have been ready to fail with the next user. Only your friend's conscience would be the reliable historian in this situation. Try not to sweat it. If he borrowed, he probably couldn't afford the rod to begin with.

 

[sandfly]

take a 5 wt if you have one for backup. or pick up a cheap rod/reel before you go.

 

[Maurice]

JackM wrote:
Try not to sweat it. If he borrowed, he probably couldn't afford the rod to begin with.

This is the heart of the matter...although you should never lend something you cannot afford to lose. That's not to say a borrowed item should be abused.

But accidents happen for sure. Live and learn. As long as you do both.

 

[Squaretail]

I've lent quite a few rods for people to use steelhead fishing and prepared myself for the worst every time.
The amount of busted rods I see there is second to none, to the point that its almost commonplace.

 

[afishinado]

Squaretail wrote:
I've lent quite a few rods for people to use steelhead fishing and prepared myself for the worst every time.
The amount of busted rods I see there is second to none, to the point that its almost commonplace.

^no doubt. Fly rods are designed first to cast and second to fight fish. Guys lock down their drag and try to horse in fish and/or raise their rod high when landing fish and bent the rod like a pretzel.

(not surprizing) Jack gave sound legal advice without the legaleeze...(a bailee for whose sole benefit property has been bailed must exercise extraordinary care for the property. The bailee can use the property only in the manner authorized by the terms of the bailment. The bailee is liable for all injuries to the property from failure to properly care for or use it.) as to the liability of your friend.

And Maurice gave a good life's lesson advice about the incident.

Hopefully your buddy will make good on the rod and all will be well.

 

[Architeuthis]

I broke the tip off my Echo switch rod a week ago. Reattached the tip on the water to finish the day. Sent it in for warranty repair and had a brand new and improved version of the same rod in 6 days. Was thinking they'd just send a new tip section...