# Itâ€™s Never Fun



## jreynolds (Jul 19, 2010)

Getting pics like this from your client on the morning of pre-fishing for a tourney. I built a total of 8 rods for this client, a mix of sp842/843 and 2 of the 842â€™s snapped.


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## AFORWW (May 2, 2018)

Did they snap in the same location? I imagine that hurts the builder even though you don't control the blanks.

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## jreynolds (Jul 19, 2010)

Same stinking spot. Iâ€™ve got a lot of rods out there, and I can count on one had the number of breaks Iâ€™ve had come back. Just seems odd that 2 out of this lot of 8 broke in the same spot. I load test them too before they ever leave my shop.


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

Dang that stinks. Looks like a blank failure.


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## AFORWW (May 2, 2018)

jreynolds said:


> Same stinking spot. Iâ€™ve got a lot of rods out there, and I can count on one had the number of breaks Iâ€™ve had come back. Just seems odd that 2 out of this lot of 8 broke in the same spot. I load test them too before they ever leave my shop.


Maybe contact the manufacturer and let em know. Maybe a defective run?

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## AguaMala (Feb 28, 2012)

Weâ€™ve had several rods break like that. Some while casting an some while fighting a fish. An we figured it was from contact with aluminum work around console, since when we put one of the broken rods back in holder break was at same height as aluminum. We went back and checked the other rods. All were snapped within 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of each other. Rods were from several manufacturers so wasnâ€™t just one rod type. We took an Eva grip an cut it where it goes over blank now an keeps rods from banging aluminum rail on console. Havenâ€™t broke one since. We now have rod holders on back of leaning post an donâ€™t worry about them hitting anything. Break could be from same issue we had. Just something to look at, issue might not be manufacturers flaw. Especially since you said you load test every rod before it leaves your place.


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## katjim00 (Jan 8, 2009)

Yep not a pic you want to see ever. But it does happen. Very interesting happened in the same spots on the blank. I would think something is up with that. Curious if you got the blanks local or not simply to determine is something happened to them in shipment to the local supplier


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## Fishsurfer (Dec 14, 2014)

Tourney fishermen hall the fish in the boat with the rod and usually do not use a net. Donâ€™t waste your time making them super light graphite rods. Find heavier in weight hybrid blanks that use fiberglass in the composition. Here are some choices for tournament fishermen since this is basically a commercial application.

1. Do not make them rods at all. Let them deal with the big box stores on warranties. 
2. Charge them so much for the rod that you can replace it one time without having to eat any cost.
3. Charge them a replacement fee that would be what you sold them the rod for minus the guides since that is the only reusable thing from the broken rod.

I personally prefer choice #1, I just donâ€™t like building â€œthrow away rodsâ€. My rods will last 30 + years if you take care of them. I will replace broken guides for nothing but abused broken blanks is another story. The other thing I have found with tournament fishermen is that they will find someone to build them rods then after they have broken everything that they got from that guy and eventually he will refuse to build them anymore stuff; they will find another poor sap to build them rods until it happens again.


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## jreynolds (Jul 19, 2010)

katjim00 said:


> Yep not a pic you want to see ever. But it does happen. Very interesting happened in the same spots on the blank. I would think something is up with that. Curious if you got the blanks local or not simply to determine is something happened to them in shipment to the local supplier


These were picked up from FTU in Sugar Land. All RX-6â€™s


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## jreynolds (Jul 19, 2010)

Fishsurfer said:


> Tourney fishermen hall the fish in the boat with the rod and usually do not use a net. Donâ€™t waste your time making them super light graphite rods. Find heavier in weight hybrid blanks that use fiberglass in the composition. Here are some choices for tournament fishermen since this is basically a commercial application.
> 
> 1. Do not make them rods at all. Let them deal with the big box stores on warranties.
> 2. Charge them so much for the rod that you can replace it one time without having to eat any cost.
> ...


I tell you, option 1 is looking pretty good. I usually build rx6â€™s for my tourney guys just for that reason. I know itâ€™s going to be punished to no end. That said, outside of a few rod tips breaking, Iâ€™ve not had one break that close to the seat. I did have s personal stick that was an rx7 and broke in a similar spot. 
When I get this one back, Iâ€™ll inspect the fracture point for abrasion from the grab rail.


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## Big Bay (May 14, 2013)

I broke an 842 flipping a 14â€ trout in the boat and had a customer break one too. I dont think Iâ€™m gonna sell anymore of those cause theyâ€™re breaking too easily. Theyâ€™re good sensitve blanks for the money but they shouldnâ€™t break like they do. 


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## Pods (Jan 11, 2006)

Ouch!!! From the looks of the location of the break, the lengthwise delamination of the fibers it appears to be from an overload. I feel your pain.


Pods


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## ToddyTrout (Mar 15, 2005)

I bought 20 blanks from Rainshadow 5 years ago that were all from the same batch. 8 of the 20 broke on the customers first fishing trips. I had a heck of a time getting the manufacturer to admit they had a bad batch of blanks and ended up eating most of my profit on these rods even though the blanks were eventually warrantied minus shipping and handling. It does happen that manufacturers will have a bad batch of blanks occasionally!


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## cfulbright (Jun 24, 2009)

I had the same issue with rainshadows, but they were the IM8 so I blamed that, but it was two in a row at the same place(could have been shipping but no sign of damage on box). I had them down grade me to RX7's but the customer was not really happy with the weight or sensitivity... I stopped using rainshadows altogether.

Id suggest MHX 7's I(290lbs) have literally fell on one up against a rock and am still using it. And they have a great warranty. That is hassle free. Batson and Lami seem to give me the run around like I was lying.


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