Replacement Parts & Repairs for Your Bending Branches Paddle
5-minute read
Our paddles for canoeing, kayaking and kayak fishing are built to last for years, and have one of the lowest breakage rates in the industry. But occasionally, you’ll need to replace a part or find yourself in need of a repair.
If you find yourself in such a situation that’s not a warranty repair, don’t assume you need to lay down cash for a new paddle. We very well may be able to help you get back on the water very soon with your current paddle.
Here are a few situations paddlers sometimes face:
- You’ve lost one or both of the drip rings on your kayak touring or fishing paddle
- Your snap-button isn’t performing like it should, or it actually came off
- You left half your kayak paddle at the launch by mistake
- You ran over one half of your kayak paddle, or accidentally dropped a heavy item on top of it—now you have a broken shaft or blade
- Your canoe paddle blade has developed a crack over time
Let’s get into how we can help you replace a part or repair your current paddle quickly:
Kayak & Kayak Fishing Paddle Replacement Parts
The following are a few replacement parts we sell individually to our customers who need them. Replacement is simple enough for most people to do at home:
Drip Rings
The most common replacement request we get from our kayaking and fishing customers is for drip rings. These are the black rubber rings used on kayak paddles to stop those annoying drips from getting on your hands or your lap.
Drip rings prevent paddle drip (photo: Seth Ezekiel West)
Our drip rings are sold as a pair. They’re sized universally to fit all our kayak paddle shafts. Some paddlers like to have an extra set on hand, and even order an extra set when they buy a new paddle.
You can order drip rings directly from our online shop.
Snap Buttons
Snap buttons are a less common but easily replaceable part. They’re the small metal buttons used in our snap button ferrules on some of our kayak and kayaking fishing paddles. (The ferrule is the mechanism that holds the two halves of the paddle together.)
Example of a snap button ferrule
Over time, these snap buttons occasionally wear enough to affect ease-of-use for paddlers who are on the water constantly. Once in a while, one is lost while cleaning or during storage.
To replace a snap button, we’ll need your paddle’s model and approximate age, as the diameters and styles have changed over the years. You can start the conversation with us by calling our Customer Service team at 715-755-3405 or emailing us at bbinfo@bendingbranches.com.
Spring Tabs
As of the time of this writing, we’ve just started to offer a selection of our kayak fishing and touring paddles with our Posi-LokTM™ ferrule (identified by its orange color). This ferrule uses spring tabs instead of snap buttons.
Some of our kayak paddles now come with our Posi-Lok™ ferrule
Like our snap buttons, the spring tabs are very durable. But their performance may eventually be compromised for those of you who are on the water consistently.
If that happens, let us know, and we can place an order for you for a replacement set that fits your paddle. These are fairly easy for most people to replace themselves.
Less Common Replacement Needs
If your kayak paddle has the Versa-Lok™ ferrule system, this is built into the paddle shaft, and so can’t be ordered as a replacement part. These are designed for extreme durability, though, so other than an occasional tightening, should last for the life of your paddle.
Our Versa-Lok™ ferrule system is part of the paddle itself
If, by some misfortune, you lose or break half your paddle, we should be able to replace that half by matching it to your remaining half. We’ll most likely ask you to send in the half you have to be sure the replacement fits it perfectly.
Obviously, this is a more costly repair, but will be more affordable than completely replacing your paddle.
See this blog post for tips on maintaining your kayak paddle: How to Keep Your Kayak Paddle(s) in Tip-Top Condition
Canoe Paddle Repair
Canoe paddles are in a different category, as there are no real replacement parts available for our wood paddles.
(Photo: Antti Vettenranta)
The most common repair question we get from our canoeing customers is about having their wood paddle refinished, especially the blade. Once in a while, we get a question about fixing a crack in the wood blade.
In either case, you have a couple of options:
First, if you have the know-how (or desire to learn) and the space, you can fix a cracked blade and/or refinish it yourself at home. See our blog post and video: How to Repair a Wooden Canoe Paddle.
If the DIY route isn’t for you, get in touch with our Customer Service team (715-755-3405 or bbinfo@bendingbranches.com) to start the process of getting your paddle to us for our craftsmen to repair for you.
Each paddle is unique, so our team handles them accordingly. Our wood experts will be able to determine the best next steps, and our CS team can give you the cost estimate.
In the meantime, we have this info for you: Do These 4 Things to Maintain Your Wood Paddle.
How to Contact our Friendly Customer Service Team
There are three good ways for you to start the repair or replacement process with us for anything beyond another set of drip rings:
- Call us at 715-755-3405 during our business hours (Mon-Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Central Standard Time) to talk to a team member at our Osceola, Wisconsin headquarters.
- Email us at bbinfo@bendingbranches.com and describe your issue, including your paddle’s model and approximate age. Attaching photos often helps.
- Fill out our Warranty & Repairs Form, even if it’s not a warranty issue. This form asks you several detailed questions so we can better help you.
Our goal is to get you back on the water ASAP!
(Photo: Jamie Cooper)
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