Author Topic: Kenalu paddle question  (Read 6022 times)

Caribsurf

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1955
    • View Profile
    • Email
Kenalu paddle question
« on: July 28, 2014, 10:37:10 AM »
I own a few Kenalu paddles for surf and long distance.  I love them and swear by them.  Recently my ergo grip t handle popped off.  No biggie, I just bought some hot glue sticks and heated it up and re attached the handle.  viola!

my question is, does hot glue break down/dry out over time and is there any reason to be pro active and re-glue all my paddles? 

I ask because I am paddling again in the Cape Cod Bay Challenge and the last thing I need during a 34 mile paddle is a blade or handle popping off.  This will be the third crossing for my Kenalu with original glue , so it's been through a lot of use

thanks in advance for any thoughts
Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

coldsup

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1430
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2014, 11:05:22 AM »
Had a problem with the handle on my Ke Nalu and know of someone else who had similar probs. I used the standard epoxy to sort it ......no problems since. Your warranty expires as soon as you do that but epoxy works well for me. I'll be getting another KE Nalu soon......great paddles.

Chilly

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 849
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2014, 11:22:24 AM »
I've never had the handle or paddle pop off, but I have had water leak into the shaft over time. Now I put electrical tape around both seams and the problem hasn't come back. I could see this happening if you leave your paddle inside a car during the summer.  Congrats on doing the crossing twice!
NSP 2016 12'6 Surf Race Pro

pdxmike

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 6186
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2014, 11:30:10 AM »
Mine popped off when very new, so had nothing to do with aging glue.  Reglued it (actually gorgebob reglued it) and has been perfect since for a long time.


The funny thing was, it was only popped off with about a mile left on my route, and that was the most frustrating mile I've ever paddled.  It's amazing how useless my stroke became when the handle rotated in the shaft.  If I'd ever mastered the choke-up grip, I could have managed a lot better. 


Personally, I might worry about redoing something before a race that is currently working fine.

PDLSFR

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1337
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2014, 11:37:23 AM »
Great timing on this post, I did a 13 mile CCBC training paddle with Piece of 8 and Spookini this past saturday and once home putting my gear away I found my handle to be slightly loose and luckily the electrical tape kept it in place, I re-glued it and will test it tomorrow. This is the second time this has happened on this paddle and I am also doing the CCBC once again and now I am a bit concerned.

Is there a better hot glue brand over another? I used SuperBonder All Purpose Mini Sticks.
Infinity RNB 8'2
Ron House 9'7
Ron House 10'7
Infinity New Deal 10'
Custom Infinity New Deal 10'
VEC 11'
Focus Bluefin 14'

Caribsurf

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1955
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 11:50:18 AM »
I hang my paddles in the garage on some hooks.  The last time I went for a surf session I loaded the car, put board on the roof.  When I got to the beach I noticed my paddle was missing the handle..uuuggghhh   I was tempted to prone it on my Hobie Raw but the water was just too cold and I wasn't wearing a wetsuit.

drove home and found the handle on the hook exactly how it had been hanging..I guess when I pulled the paddle off the hook the handle stayed behind.   now when I load the car I make sure handle and blade intact

thanks for some of the feed back on this   on the fence about whether I should reglue my 3 yr old paddle….
Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

yugi

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2228
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2014, 11:56:47 AM »
Personally, I might worry about redoing something before a race that is currently working fine.

^^ yep. Don't mess with stuff right before a race.

... it was only popped off with about a mile left on my route, and that was the most frustrating mile I've ever paddled.  It's amazing how useless my stroke became when the handle rotated in the shaft.  If I'd ever mastered the choke-up grip, I could have managed a lot better.

I'd have thought you'd be mastering the choke grip by the time you got in.

Area 10

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4057
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2014, 12:17:58 PM »
Hot glue doesn't like water much. Use nail varnish to seal the joint after you have glued it and/or tape (I use plumber's self-amalgamating tape plus electrical tape). You need to prevent direct contact between the glue and water, ideally.

hbsteve

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1701
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2014, 02:26:40 PM »
I used surf wax on the joints and then tape.
Practicing chocking up might just come in handy someday.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2014, 03:26:36 PM »
The stuff Ke Nalu uses from the factory is a industrial version of hot glue, but almost anything will work if you use it right. The best alternative I've found is the amber-colored "high strength" glue you find in hardware stores (any ACE for sure). Make sure the shaft is good and warm before you stuff the handle in. If you're using a hair dryer just point it in the shaft while you work on getting the glue on the handle shaft to melt. Once it's together, pull it back apart a little bit with a twisting motion and shove it back in with a twist. Get the handle lined up with the blade and let it cool without disturbing it. Tape isn't really necessary, but what the heck, go for it.

Epoxying the handle in doesn't kill your warrantee, it just means you won't be able to get it back apart without a lot of heat. Overheating the parts kills the warranty, though Lane is pretty good about giving a deep discount for parts that people have screwed up. Just send along a picture of the ruined part so he knows you're not just messing with him.

Most hot glues are extremely water resistant. there are low temperature hot glues that can't handle water, but the stuff Ke Nalu uses and the amber ACE hardware stuff is very water resistant.



Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2014, 02:57:03 PM »
I've had the handle loosen a time or two and the same with the paddle. Hasn't happened since I started making sure I had plenty of glue and do multiple twists with everything warmed up good. I don't use any special hot glue....just what my wife had with her glue guns (she uses good stuff though). I do exactly what Bill said for installation

All that said now that you mention it I think I will re-glue both my main and my spare paddle before the crossing.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

JayInSoCal

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2014, 04:26:50 PM »
After putting together my KeNalu I had the issue with the handle being loose.  I think it was my goof though.  I forget where I saw it, but I recall that the the shaft is round and the part of the handle that slides into the shaft is oval (Bill can correct or confirm this).  So when I heated up the glue and inserted the handle I twisted it at the same time.  This motion actually squeezed a lot of the glue out, leaving the smaller oval sides with little to no glue touching the shaft.  Luckily I saved the excess glue, removed the handle, heated it up excess glue and applied it the handle and inserted it straight in while minimizing any twisting.  This seemed to fix my issue.
8'4" L41 SS3
9'2" Riviera Turbo Nugg
9'6" Wavestorm
10' Infinity Carver
14' Infinity Whiplash

jdmotes

  • JD Motes
  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1745
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2014, 04:56:03 PM »
 Just had a product info/assembly class on the Ke Nalu's with the staff at Paddle and Putt at St Simon's Island, Ga today (doing the same with the staff at Sunrise Surf Shop Jax Beach tomorrow)... The staff seemed amazed at the versatility and options of the component-based Ke Nalu's...
 Here's the main things to remember when assembling the paddles: Use a descent heat-gun (much faster than a hair dryer); Work slow and rotate the part/parts as NOT to overheat; When pressing parts together, make sure to insert slowly while twisting parts clockwise/counter-clockwise and make sure parts seat together COMPLETELY; Let parts cool to room temp BEFORE reheating to shave off the ring of excess glue (I use a 1 inch thin-bladed, metal putty knife to clean off the ring); Place a few wraps of a good grade electrical tape (3M 33+) to tidy up the joint...
 If you DO have an issue later on with water intrusion or loosening of the blade or handle, reheat and undo the parts. Clean out as much of the old (contaminated) glue as possible then use this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1QA4G/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1406677935&sr

 This is the best hot-glue I've found for re-installing a blade or handle. It's a high-temp, high melt-point glue (I think its around 400F or higher) and has a very high adhesion factor with plastics and composites...                              Paddle on,     JD
JD Motes/Water Bound Sports LLC
Florida; Ga; S.C; Sales Rep for:
Progressive SUP
Exocet SUP
Kona SUP
Epic Gear SUP Paddles and Accessories
Ke Nalu Precision SUP Paddles

Caribsurf

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1955
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2014, 08:38:55 PM »
Good info JD. I own 3 KeNalus and in 3 1/2 years and dozens and dozens of sessions only had this handle pop off one time.  I am probably over reacting, and never gave it a thought before the handle popped off.  Now I am scaring myself into re gluing my paddle for the CCBC at least. 

I'm going to order some of that hot glue ASAP...
Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Kenalu paddle question
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2014, 06:34:38 AM »
The glue primarily resists twisting. There's no significant force pulling the handle or blade parallel to the shaft. So all you need to do to check your glue joint is give it a hard twist. If you feel anything--even just a little wiggle, you should redo the joint. It's rare, but it happens. I take my paddles apart so often switching things around that I've never had a failure, though I have gotten a handle cocked a little, which is an enormous pain in the ass over a long downwinder.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal