Shorten Wing Paddle- adhesive Question

Picked up a full carbon Epic mid wing but it is 215-225, needs to be shorter. Price was too good to pass on.

Anyway after reading many threads on shortening at blade end vs removing length lock I went the blade route. Simple. Used heat gun off came the yellow Epic stickers and a bit more heat, hot melt glue started to run out . A bit of a twist and off came the blades.

Shortened each end 2.54 c.m., total of 2 inches shorter.

I have cleaned off all the hot melt and ready to reassemble my now 210-220 paddle, perfect length range for me.

I had read a lot about proper alignment when reassembling but with the oval shaft I don't see how you can make an error.

Question is this: am I better off using hot melt glue to reassemble as this was used in factory or should I go with a waterproof 2 part marine epoxy?

I will not be removing blades in the future so I am thinking epoxy. any advantage to hot melt aside from ability to remove blades.

Thanks

Go for epoxy, this is by far the strongest choyce.

Epoxy for sure!

To get the blades set properly you need to set joiner to zero degrees and then dry assemble paddle and straddle each end (blade) at the same point of the blade (distance from each end the same) lets say two chair backs for instance, they must however be exactly parallel. Once happy with the fit, mark the join between blade and shaft and then glue together reassembling the blade back to the mark.

I use quick set epoxy so you don`t have a lot of time to hang about. Don`t glue the paddle in the horizontal position, the glue will settle to one side and the blade will sag. Hold blade and shaft vertical so this does not happen.

All done. I used Lock Tite Marine Epoxy (slow cure) supposedly more secure.

No issues with blade alignment as the shaft is oval so no way to mess this up unless you have a brain fart and insert blade backwards.

Ranga: appreciate the info re: alignment but it is spot on.

I stood paddle on the blades so I have nice little bead of epoxy at the junctions of shafts and blades. Nice water tight fit.

I now have a nice 210-220 mid wing as a spare.

It is the stiffer blue shaft so it will be interesting to see how it feels compared to the softer burgundy Epic.

Just remember 1mm adjustment on the joiner or 1mm off on the blade join is 5deg. Also just beware you could have wrist and elbow issues with a very stiff shaft, take care.