Rod Building....

[Darian]

Does anyone out there have any ideas about the useful life (number of years) of materials used in rod blanks (....boron, glass, graphite or composite, etc.) or :?: :?: :?:

What brought this to mind is that I went to Keaton to ask them if my fiberglass, TPL dingy, pram was repairable 8) :?: After determining how old the boat was (over 35 years), I was told that the glass was not viable after 30 years (....maybe sooner if left out in the sunlight). Also, every fisherman I know (gear or fly) has had the experience of taking a classic old rod fishing only to have it blow up under the first real stress. :( :(

I've seen several good looking blanks, recently, but shied away from buying one as they'd been in inventory for "many moons".... Any opinions out there :?: :?: :?:

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Darian

I have seen old fiberglass rods that were left inside a vehicle in a curled condition in the heat/sun where they took a set and stay curled up after they were removed from the car.

I had a fiberglass boat that was around 30 years old and it had "star fractures" that looked pretty serious. Sun also eats up the Gel Coat finish on fiberglass boats.

Heat and sunlight are both enemies of anything like fiberglass or even waders/boots, fly lines and leaders.

If you can keep stuff out of the sunlight and keep it cool it will last longer.