Broken Epic Mid-Wing, Green Shaft...

Seems as though my flash new Epic Mid Wing paddle isn't all that resistant to 'mild' impact damage.

No response from Epic regarding replacement shaft or half paddle.

Anyone else suffered similar fate - any outcome other than buying a new paddle?

Cheers,

Tim

Yes, I snapped a green shaft small mid wing sprinting hard from a full stop. Lucky I was not far from land and the conditions were good.
Before using again I inspected my green shaft mid wing and sure enough it had cracks in it and I had lost all faith in putting my life at risk using them again anyway, I took the one good side off the mid wing and resized it to a small mid wing and made one good paddle out of it, a week ago I noticed that there was a 10mm crack in one of the blades near the throat and sold I it for one sixth of the cost to a friend who uses it for sea kayaking and carrys a spare with him. He was going to put a carbon patch over the crack. I thought it pointless trying to get them replaced as they were a few years old and I lost faith in them anyway and switched to a stronger shaft Jantex Gamma. I still have two other burgundy epics which I'm likely to sell although they have no sign of cracks and have not been used for anything other than racing. Its a shame as I like the paddles but they have scared me off from using them again. I might use the small mid for sea kayaking but I will always carry a spare with me.

Impact damage is another thing but I don't believe it was a factor in my two failed paddles.

Thanks Greg.

Epic have now responded to my enquiries and are happy to provide a new half shaft with the locking device fitted, and instructions and glue for me to fit my existing blade.

So, fingers crossed that will see me happily paddling again - think I might carry a spare for the longer solo expeditions though...

Who did you contact at Epic ? Could you give me an address please ? I have a similar problem. I have 2 Epic Mid Wings, one with a green shaft, the other with a burgundy shaft. I've seen no sign of weakness on the shafts but... i broke the left blade on one of the paddles and the right blade of the other is delaminating. I'd like to buy a pair of blades so i could repair them.

Sure - pm me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thanks, I sent you an email.

As I said before, I have 2 Epic midwing that need to get repaired:

The right blade on the burgundy shaft broke while I was paddling, the male part that goes in the shaft slid out and it broke at the base of the blade. I was lucky I was not too far out in the ocean and the swell was small. I think the glue didn't hold because of the heat (lesson learned : don't leave the paddle in the car while at work)

The other one with the green shaft has the left blade delaminating. For this one I think it was flawed from the begining.





I am now paddling with a "frankenblade" made from the remaining halves. Not sure it's a good thing to do because they have different flex... and a friend told me I might injure my shoulder.

I could try to remove the "good" right blade from the green shaft and put it in the right part of the burgundy shaft, but I'm worried I might break it while trying to do so... and be left with no paddle at all !

Hiro wrote:
I am now paddling with a "frankenblade" made from the remaining halves. Not sure it's a good thing to do because they have different flex... and a friend told me I might injure my shoulder.

Thats pretty funny, I wouldn't worry about it.

Hiro, you said you are afraid the right side of the burgundy blade may have broken because you left it in the car. Are you not worried about using the left side of that paddle in your "frankenblade", for fear of the same thing happening again? Presumably that side was also left in your car?

(...) Are you not worried about using the left side of that paddle in your "frankenblade", for fear of the same thing happening again? Presumably that side was also left in your car?

I agree with you Ronbo, but when try to pull (hard) on the blade it doesn't move. When the other side broke, the male part was halfway out and it was easy to pull it out of the shaft, just like it wasn't even glued.
I had the same tought so I check it before I use it and if I ever see that it's coming lose, I figure I can still glue it back with some epoxy.

Thats pretty funny, I wouldn't worry about it.

That's also hat I tought, the shaft is quite short from the lever lock in the middle to the blade. I'm not sure I should worry about it but... why take the risk ? And you probably know that when you think something might be wrong, you can't help but focus on this thing...