midnight Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I own a Werner Cyprus 215 that was accidentally run over by a car (ok.........I did it ). CRCK contacted Werner for me since I bought the paddle through them and was told that it would cost $160 plus shipping both ways to have it repaired. It seems to me that there must be a cheaper way out of this. How does a carbon kevlar boat get repaired?? I don't care if patches are on my paddle, but I can't see paying $160++ to repair or replace half a paddle. The other half seems fine,no apparent cracks. Can anyone offer advice on this? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Lori B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Millar Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I own a Werner Cyprus 215 that was accidentally run over by a car (ok.........I did it ). CRCK contacted Werner for me since I bought the paddle through them and was told that it would cost $160 plus shipping both ways to have it repaired. It seems to me that there must be a cheaper way out of this. How does a carbon kevlar boat get repaired?? I don't care if patches are on my paddle, but I can't see paying $160++ to repair or replace half a paddle. The other half seems fine,no apparent cracks. Can anyone offer advice on this? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Lori B Hi Lori, I ran over my Cyprus 2 years ago and only three weeks after buying it, while doing a surf launch. All that was damaged was the top edge on one blade. After taking it to my local dealer -- I'd bought the paddle in Georgia -- I was told it was too difficult (and too risky) to repair and they sent it off to Werner for a new blade. You might want to talk to someone who does carbon kevlar repair about this to see if the paddle can be repaired in the same way a hull would be. While the price for a new blade may seem high -- I think I paid the same amount two years ago -- it might be better to just bite the bullet and get a new blade. I'm not upset by patches, dings, etc on my boats, but a hull is a lot heavier and, at least to me, sturdier, than a paddle. I think I'd rather play it safe and not encounter more problems down the road that might equate more repairs and thus more $$$, and get a new blade now. Others who have more experience in this area of repair, whether kevlar or fiberglass, might be more helpful (and hopeful), but this is just my opinion, having been there, done that. You can always look at it this way: a new Cyprus is running close to $400 right now, which makes $160 look a lot less scary. Deb M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Hi Lori, I ran over my Cyprus 2 years ago and only three weeks after buying it, while doing a surf launch. All that was damaged was the top edge on one blade. After taking it to my local dealer -- I'd bought the paddle in Georgia -- I was told it was too difficult (and too risky) to repair and they sent it off to Werner for a new blade. You might want to talk to someone who does carbon kevlar repair about this to see if the paddle can be repaired in the same way a hull would be. While the price for a new blade may seem high -- I think I paid the same amount two years ago -- it might be better to just bite the bullet and get a new blade. I'm not upset by patches, dings, etc on my boats, but a hull is a lot heavier and, at least to me, sturdier, than a paddle. I think I'd rather play it safe and not encounter more problems down the road that might equate more repairs and thus more $$$, and get a new blade now. Others who have more experience in this area of repair, whether kevlar or fiberglass, might be more helpful (and hopeful), but this is just my opinion, having been there, done that. You can always look at it this way: a new Cyprus is running close to $400 right now, which makes $160 look a lot less scary. Deb M. At least Werner will fix it for $160. They replaced half of one of my paddles for a discounted price last year as well. They are in my opinion great to deal with unlike Lendel, who wanted me to cover the whole cost of half a paddle whose shaft broke while bracing in surf that ended up being a sand bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Hi Lori, I ran over my Cyprus 2 years ago and only three weeks after buying it, while doing a surf launch. All that was damaged was the top edge on one blade. After taking it to my local dealer -- I'd bought the paddle in Georgia -- I was told it was too difficult (and too risky) to repair and they sent it off to Werner for a new blade. You might want to talk to someone who does carbon kevlar repair about this to see if the paddle can be repaired in the same way a hull would be. While the price for a new blade may seem high -- I think I paid the same amount two years ago -- it might be better to just bite the bullet and get a new blade. I'm not upset by patches, dings, etc on my boats, but a hull is a lot heavier and, at least to me, sturdier, than a paddle. I think I'd rather play it safe and not encounter more problems down the road that might equate more repairs and thus more $$$, and get a new blade now. Others who have more experience in this area of repair, whether kevlar or fiberglass, might be more helpful (and hopeful), but this is just my opinion, having been there, done that. You can always look at it this way: a new Cyprus is running close to $400 right now, which makes $160 look a lot less scary. Deb M. Lori, As Deb says, Werner essentially sends you a new half paddle , so it is a deal if you look at it that way. Depending on the degree of damage, it might be repaired by a local person skilled in those kind of repairs (several in this area come recommended), but since they charge for their time and materials, several hours of repair at some reasonable tradesperson hourly rate adds up quickly, if you do the math. If I could hazard a guess, it would be hard to get the work done for much less than $100, unless you found a friend who was doing it as a favor. If you demand a repaired paddle that looks new cosmetically, the costs might go up even more If you want to try your hand at doing this kind of work yourself, your options expand, especially if cosmetics are less important to you. I’ve known people who have patched carbon blades :they don’t look pretty but they get the job done in that “a–paddle-is meant-to be used†sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 $160 would buy alot of greeenland paddles. They also would be primarily uninjured if they were driven over by a car. It can be difficult looking behind you when you are driving while wearing a tuilik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I own a Werner Cyprus 215 that was accidentally run over by a car (ok.........I did it ). CRCK contacted Werner for me since I bought the paddle through them and was told that it would cost $160 plus shipping both ways to have it repaired. It seems to me that there must be a cheaper way out of this. How does a carbon kevlar boat get repaired?? I don't care if patches are on my paddle, but I can't see paying $160++ to repair or replace half a paddle. The other half seems fine,no apparent cracks. Can anyone offer advice on this? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Lori B Where did it fracture? Give me a call and pop over...maybe we can squeeze some long-cure strong reinforced epoxy in there to regain decent stiffness and strength. Ern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I own a Werner Cyprus 215 that was accidentally run over by a car (ok.........I did it ). CRCK contacted Werner for me since I bought the paddle through them and was told that it would cost $160 plus shipping both ways to have it repaired. It seems to me that there must be a cheaper way out of this. How does a carbon kevlar boat get repaired?? I don't care if patches are on my paddle, but I can't see paying $160++ to repair or replace half a paddle. The other half seems fine,no apparent cracks. Can anyone offer advice on this? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Lori B Lori, When I broke my ikos blade, the pair was sent back to Werner. They removed the blade from the shaft. They put a new blade on, made sure the balance etc were all correct and sent it back just like new. If you broke the shaft you are basically purchasing 1/2 of a new paddle as from history they don't repair that just replace the broken 1/2. The $160 doesn't seem out of line for a $380 paddle. If your willing to make this paddle your spare, you can epoxy it your self. For your primary paddle I would send it and and write the check. -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnight Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 Hmmmmmmmmmm....... Right now I just don't have the extra cash laying around. so a proper Werner repair would have to wait a bit. I've tried a Greenland paddle only briefly once,thought I had bought a nearly bullet proof one - didn't plan on a roll over with the car! Ernie, CRCK has my paddle right now and the guys that were dealing with Werner are away for a couple of days. When I get it back I will give you a call to see what you think. In the meantime I do have a loaner. Someone mentioned reputable kevlar repair people? Would you mind letting me know who they are? Another opinion never hurts and I would expect that they could give me an estimate. Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quo Someone mentioned reputable kevlar repair people? Would you mind letting me know who they are? Another opinion never hurts and I would expect that they could give me an estimate. Lori, Perhaps you mean carbon fiber, as Kevlar is WAY too flexible to be used in a paddle shaft or blade. Kevlar "repair people" may not be of much help. The hope here is to align the fractured carbon fiber with strengthened epoxy to recreate a stiff geometry. If there are lots of tiny pieces missing or a complete break it's probably not possible to obtain a strong repair without significantly changing the balance-point of the paddle. In that case you buy a new half, as Jason mentioned. Lemme know. Ern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick stoehrer Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 $160 would buy alot of greeenland paddles. They also would be primarily uninjured if they were driven over by a car. It can be difficult looking behind you when you are driving while wearing a tuilik. sure...but why pay that much for firewood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 At least Werner will fix it for $160. They replaced half of one of my paddles for a discounted price last year as well. They are in my opinion great to deal with unlike Lendel, who wanted me to cover the whole cost of half a paddle whose shaft broke while bracing in surf that ended up being a sand bar. Doug, Was this a 4 piece paddle? If yes, then buying a half paddle to replace a broken shaft doesn't make sense since the shaft could simply be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Sylvester Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 If it is just a couple of cracks in the blade I would overlay a sheet of glass on the blade and tint it with graphite. But..It will never be the same....if you can keep the patch small, balance may not matter. If the damage is where it joins the shaft it is most likely time to save for the new half. I would love to see a picture of the damage. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 sure...but why pay that much for firewood? Good point. On the other hand, break a carbonfiber paddle and you have landfill material. Break a GP and at least you have firewood. And of course that wonderfully warm feeling of knowing you are reducing your carbon footprint....or something smug like that. Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Who would want to burn a soggy twig just to create more carbon and some toxic gasses from whatever unnatural substance was used to seal the wood? Carbon fiber is much more environmentally friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsoj2 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 $160 can be a lot of money for for a replacement half Cyprus, it seems reasonable. I found Werner wonderful to deal with. They replaced my Rio 4 piece with Sherpa as there was reported to be some problems with the Rios in certain temperatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedious Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Lori, there's nothing magic about repairing carbon fibre unless you feel the need to make it look like new. Assuming it's just cracked, you'll need some epoxy and fabric reinforcement. Your normal HW store epoxy will be fine. For fabric, you want some thin, tough, fairly loose weave fabric - almost any synthetic will do in a pinch, but if you stop by a fabric store you should be able to pick up a scrap of cordura for almost nothing. Mix the epoxy per directions, and edge-glue the cracks. Then smear epoxy over the full repair area, press the fabric over it, add more epoxy on top to saturate, squeeze out all the excess, let cure. If you do the repair on the back of the blade it should not make much difference to your paddling. You could also go to a marine store and get some very light fibreglass and actual marine epoxy, but it really won't make a lot of difference. You will want to work in a warm area, or set the paddle on top of a lamp to cure. Epoxy won't cure properly below about 50 without special treatment. Good luck! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Brian Nystrom has a great site for this sort of process. You might want to try wetting out the glass on a piece of wood or plastic. Its good to have an idea how much material is necessary, how best to wet it out, etc. The stuff is fragrant so if working indoors choose your location wisely. Heres to all those who secretly envy my/our greenland paddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Good job, Tim. Lori, I have all this stuff. The "magic cure" is just the old hair dryer in my garage. Let me know if you want to fix the paddle. Ern 781 483-3922 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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