Rod tip breakage

[barbelboi]

I witnessed one of these first hand yesterday whilst stream fishing with a friend. I had just taken a break from trotting and walked back upstream to where he was and he was in the process of swinging in a small roach (no more than 5oz). The tip snapped cleanly at approximately 10 inches from the top and is was quite weird watching it go. He's only had the rod a few weeks and (the short version) a replacement is in the post.

 

[103841]

Is it an Acolyte?

 

[barbelboi]

No, I was using my 4 year old Acolyte Ultra which has stood up to everything thrown at it - he was using a Red Range 13' float rod for probably the 4th time.

Seeing the break first hand my guess would be a fault in the carbon creating a very weak spot at that point. There was no issue/problem with the supplier regarding immediate courier replacement.

 

[S-Kippy]

Drennan again eh ? The evidence is starting to look rather compelling.

 

[barbelboi]

It does look a bit like that Skip although I'm sure some are due to bad angling/clumsiness/whatever. Seeing this happen right in front of me at 10 inches down the tip under virtually no pressure indicated that 'carbon fatigue' appears to be an issue as well.

 

[peter crabtree]

I sat next to someone who'd set up a brand new, unused red range feeder rod once. First chuck it snapped clean in half...

 

[S-Kippy]

In 50 odd years I've had 6 rods ( that I can remember) break on me. Two of of them were my stupid fault, one was a complete mystery and the other 3 were Drennans....and not entry level Drennans either.

Just saying.

 

[David Rogers 3]

It's happened to me twice - both complete mysteries, but at least both occurred on comparatively cheap (£50-ish) rods (MAP CFS Medium Waggler 13' and Shakespeare Mach 3 XT 13'). Combined with all the reports I've read about high-end models snapping under little or no pressure, I've lost confidence in modern, ultra-thin carbon float rods and now invariably use my bomb-proof hollow glass Hardy Matchmaker (made in 1972). I've never had a reel fall out of the sliding bands either, which is the reason often cited for insisting on screw reel fittings.

 

[Richox12]

......10 inches down the tip under virtually no pressure indicated that 'carbon fatigue' appears to be an issue as well.

Under 'virtually no pressure' ??? I would never swing a 5oz fish on a light float rod. It needs netting. If that fish is STILL and NOT moving about, NOT shaking its head etc and can be 'skimmed' across the top slowly then maybe I might risk lifting it. BUT, otherwise, with a fish shaking its head and the rod bouncing around (tight line, slack line, tight line, slack line etc etc) it's a net every time.

Put a 5oz lead on the rod (same or very similar) and swing it around. That is a LOT of pressure. And I doubt the top 10" is bending much and the pressure is further down the section.

Carbon Fatigue ?? On a rod just a few weeks old ? Very unlikely I would have said.

 

[barbelboi]

Under 'virtually no pressure' ??? I would never swing a 5oz fish on a light float rod. It needs netting. If that fish is STILL and NOT moving about, NOT shaking its head etc and can be 'skimmed' across the top slowly then maybe I might risk lifting it. BUT, otherwise, with a fish shaking its head and the rod bouncing around (tight line, slack line, tight line, slack line etc etc) it's a net every time.

Put a 5oz lead on the rod (same or very similar) and swing it around. That is a LOT of pressure. And I doubt the top 10" is bending much and the pressure is further down the section.

Carbon Fatigue ?? On a rod just a few weeks old ? Very unlikely I would have said.

Firstly, my friend is a very experienced angler of some 60 years. Secondly, you should have no problem swinging in a fish of less the 5oz even on an Ultra (I've done it many times myself). Thirdly, have you never heard of manufacturing faults - think where these rods are made. And finally, please explain how a rod tip could break 10 inches down at a point that was under very little pressure/stress and broke without a 'snap/crack' just with a silent whimper.

 

[edsurf]

so only naming the Drennans what about the other three ?.

 

[S-Kippy]

so only naming the Drennans what about the other three ?.

Glad to. A Normark that I banged against a steel bridge, a Shakespeare that I tried to lift a ton boulder off the bottom of the Wye with ( not recommended) and a Harrison that was put away intact but was broken when next used. The rest were Drennans ( all float rods) and all of them failed catastrophically when under no real pressure.

My Acolyte is still intact...so far anyway though I guess this is tempting fate.

 

[Keith M]

As a few of you know a few months ago I had the tip section on my Ultra split and break suddenly about a third of the way down from the tip and this happened as I was threading some 3lb line through it’s rings.

Because I’d had it over a year Drennan refused to replace it and I had to buy a replacement tip for £60.

Yes it is possible that it could have been damaged by some unknown reason but I am very doubtful of this.

Keith

 

[john step]

As a few of you know a few months ago I had the tip section on my Ultra split and break suddenly about a third of the way down from the tip and this happened as I was threading some 3lb line through it’s rings.

Because I’d had it over a year Drennan refused to replace it and I had to buy a replacement tip for £60.

Yes it is possible that it could have been damaged by some unknown reason but I am very doubtful of this.

Keith

Keith, thats a bit of a relief for me actually. I recently bought a 14 Ultra float. Should I be unfortunate enough to have a breakage it wont need a new mortgage!!!

 

[Molehill]

Have to say that I have heard all this about rod breakages in top end rods 25 years ago. Nothing much changes.
When I was working in retail it involved top end fly rods costing many £100s, Loomis, Sage, Hardy, Scott and more, never the anglers fault. But knowing some of the anglers and watching them fish, first hand, it didn't take a genius to work out why the rods broke.

I'm not saying there are no manufacturing faults, nor some design faults, because there are. But if a rod is going to break under stress it will do so fairly soon, not wait a year after purchase.

Different action and angles give different stresses, as has been said above, a 5oz roach bouncing with the rod at a bad angle is way different from swinging in a static fish correctly.

For the record I have abused my acolyte no end swinging fish in. Thinking to myself afterwards " Don't be an idiot, net it". At some point I will break it, but not blame the rod.

 

[shane99]

Just need to say here that I recently broke the tip off my Darent Valley as per previous post, it was my fault entierely, just me being a clumsy old s@d

 

[Ray Roberts]

Just need to say here that I recently broke the tip off my Darent Valley as per previous post, it was my fault entierely, just me being a clumsy old s@d

They are guaranteed for life. Give Tacklebox a ring.


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[lakhyaman]

Just need to say here that I recently broke the tip off my Darent Valley as per previous post, it was my fault entierely, just me being a clumsy old s@d

My fishing partner broke mine. They replaced it free of cost despite my making it clear that it was entirely our fault and that I would happily pay for a replacement. It's a great rod.

All the best

Lakhyaman

 

[Richox12]

They are guaranteed for life. Give Tacklebox a ring.


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An UNCONDITIONAL & LIFETIME guarantee ? So no matter the cause of breakage you get a new section/rod regardless ?

What sort of business is that ??

Unless they are massively expensive and you have covered the cost of multiple replacements in the first place ?

 

[Ray Roberts]

An UNCONDITIONAL & LIFETIME guarantee ? So no matter the cause of breakage you get a new section/rod regardless ?

What sort of business is that ??

Unless they are massively expensive and you have covered the cost of multiple replacements in the first place ?

Knowledge Base :: Customer Service :: Aftersales support - Knowledge base

If you have a problem give them a call. They fixed an out of manufacturers guarantee reel I bought from them FOC and repaired a rod tip from a rod I didn’t buy from them for a tenner. If the stuff you sell is good quality you shouldn’t have every customer coming back for free repairs. I have a few of their own brand products and have been totally satisfied with them and not broken one yet, lol. I don’t have any connection to the company other than as a satisfied customer.


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