I have a Harmony Sea Passage kayak paddle with a badly cracked blade. It is cracked about midway across the blade and I need advise about what repair method may be best. It is the lightwieght fiberglass shaft version with the poly-type blade. Would JB Weld or Permatex Cold Weld work if squeezed into the crack or should I try a fiberglass/epoxy glass patch. Anybody have any experience or advise here. I contacted Mad River Canoe who has Harmony, inquiring if I can purchase just the blade and attempt an installation but they will not do that.
POS -Throw it away …
– Last Updated: Sep-20-10 11:50 PM EST –
Injection molded plastic blades are not worth fixing .. you could try a weld but better to get a decent paddle.
If it was mine, I would use a fibreglass
patch with West’s System G-flex epoxy.
jack L
Contact Harmony directly
Perhaps they can repair it for you. However, considering that you can get a new one for 60 bucks online, it may not be worth repairing. I would use this as an excuse to upgrade to a better paddle.
If new ones are cheap, it won’t pay for
you to fix the one you have. The cheapest increment of West G-flex is 4 oz bottles at about $16, and then you’ll need some glasscloth. You end up with one heavy blade of questionable reliability.
We don’t see high quality paddles break that way very often, in normal use.
Repair Materals
To make a repair that will last would cost about $25 in epoxy and fiberglass cloth. This will add weight to an entry level paddle. You could just put the cash toward the purchase of a new paddle and be better off.
Time for a better paddle
What a great time to get a better paddle!
Spend a bit more this time, you have been using an entry-level paddle, not suitable for trips over a couple miles long. Certainly do not try to fix the one you have, it is not worth fixing plus your repair will not succeed.
How about cutting off the blade?
OK everyone I know the consenses is throw it away but I bought it for $25 to repair for my teenage daughter since it is quite lite and better than her present el-cheapo paddle. She won’t be putting tremendous muscle into the strokes. I am actually leaning to cutting off the old blade and attaching another blade from a donor or OTHER broken paddle. Anyone know if the blade slides INSIDE the fiberglass shaft or HOW it is attached at the factory?
A spare paddle is always handy even if
its a fixed-up one.
I used
Gorilla Glue on my paddle, but it is wood. That being said, I think it would probably hold up to the gentle use your daughter will give it. It takes one season to get her in tune with what she wants/needs and then you have a spare paddle if it held up.
Liveoutside
Spare Paddle
You’re right, there’s no sense in tossing it. If you can find another broken paddle, combine the two and have one low end paddle with a great story behind it.
The less you spend on it the better the story will be.
OK I cut it off and will replace blade
Yeah I didn’t figure it was worth trying to fix,…so I just carefully cut it off and will install another stronger blade from a supplier up in Washington state. Thanks