so I was packing up on Saturday night after a lovely day fishing on beacon reservoir when I felt some cracks on the top section of my 6/7 rod. Closer inspection in the daylight has revealed 3 hairline cracks in the section just above the first eye. Each crack is about an inch in length. Is the section a write-off or is there something I can do to extend its life?

What make of rod is it. ?

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

If it's a varnished rod,Is it just the varnish that's cracked.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

if it is a standard graphite production rod then you've stsill got options. I wouldn't fish it as is though. First is there a warranty? If yes, then call the manufacturer and see what they say. They'll probably have you ship it to them and either they will repair (unlikely) or replace (likely) the whole tip section. They will need to see the full rod.

If there is no warranty, then you can have someone repair it. I'm currently repairing a rod of my own that broke between the top guide and the tip top. Clean break while unsnagging a fly. A simple sleve will fix it. The same goes for yours. A thin fiberglass sleve over the splintered portion that has been wrapped with thread and coated with urethane will fix it.

Thanks,
Rick

Not heard (or seen for that matter) that done. Possible (when your done) to post a photo (or better yet?) a 'step by step?'

Fred

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If the cracks are varnish no problem - but if high up the section I'd advise against ferruling or oversleeving - more trouble than it's worth and the action won't ever be quite the same - apart from the better than sporting chance that it could well go again above or below the sleeving - energy transfers can have strangely concentrated effects above and below a sleeving job .

Put it like this - when I do it for a customer the result is never ever guaranteed .

Running in a touch of superglue may give you an extra season and that is worth doing .

New section is the best way .

Best wishes

Steve P

Fred,

Here's an article on how to do it for various breaks on a rod. the key thing to stress from the article is getting the right materials for the sleve. It has to be fiberglass and it needs to be thin walled for an upper third break. It will never be perfect as steve says and new is always best. However it works and will keep a rod fishing that otherwise you couldn't.

http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html

---------- Post added at 05:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:33 PM ----------

Fred,

Here's an article on how to do it for various breaks on a rod. the key thing to stress from the article is getting the right materials for the sleve. It has to be fiberglass and it needs to be thin walled for an upper third break. It will never be perfect as steve says and new is always best. However it works and will keep a rod fishing that otherwise you couldn't.

I'll try to pull some pics together as I do this one. I already cut and fit the splice and cleaned up the joint, so you can't see the original.

Thanks,
Rick

http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html

If you opt to repair it yourself I can probably find you a fibreglass offcut for spigot plug, oversleeve or both - provided you furnish accurate ID/OD dimensions (ie using calipers)

I bought the rod in Australia about 5 years ago and it is an Innovator Distance. The manufacturers website Innovator Distance Fly Rods Index tells me I can get a replacement tip sent for AUD $60.00 but I expect that to be slightly more to air freight it to the UK. It is also amusing seeing how much less that range costs than when I originally bought it.

It is made from IMG graphite. The cracks are very small and look more like stress lines than deep fissures.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

sounds like the varnish has cracked....sand it down and either re-apply new varnish or some good old super glue!