Wet rod - Water ingress under finish coat?

[Bruce]

I have noticed that on occasions when my fly rod gets wet i.e. some rain on it whilst out fishing, the area around the guides, and other places as well, change colour significantly. The rod is dark green and when wet as described becomes cloudy and greyish in colour. Once dry again it returns to the original colour and I am the able to see through the varnish and the bindings underneath again. Has anyone else had this happen? Is the finish coat delaminating? Would this be considered a fault or is it because the rod is aged and tatty like me?

Cheers
Bruce

[pyko]

What rod is it Bruce?

Shouldn't "change colour significantly when wet"...

Al

[Bruce]

It is a Z-axis, well used but looked after

[greville]

I had this happen on 2 RPLs some 20 (or was it 30 !) years ago Bruce. Sage considered it was a fault as water had penetrated the blank. I was told at the time that the only way to remove it was to re bake the blank. Don't know if that was true. Sage allowed me to keep the rods, built by me from blanks, even though they replaced them.

The originals still have a milky coffee colour to this day.

At least the water in your rod evaporates by the sound of it. If you are concerned I would get Sage on the case. It does have a lifetime warranty after all.

Good luck.

Cheers

Greville

[Bruce]

Interesting. I'll be interested in hearing if anyone else has had a similar experience.
Next time it happens I will have a closer look at it and take photos. My experience to date is that it doesn't take much water from rain or wind driven spray in my boat, to cause it.
Thanks Greville

Bruce

[petevicar]

Hi Bruce
I have had the wrapping areas around the guides on a few Sage rods turn milky when I have cleaned them.
To be more specific - after a trip saltwater fishing I usually soak my rods for a few hours to remove the salt. My old Xi2 rods would always become milky and then when dry this milkiness would go away. It's funny but this only happened with Sage rods.
I don't use them any more, not for this reason.

Pete

[Bernd]

I had that, too a) with wrappings and b) with the varnish on the blank. I think some types of varnish are completly resistant to water while others can absorb some water. If they do it may get "cloudy".
Yet the clody colour was gone always after drying the rod again.
Casting on grass on rainy days and then leaving the rod in wet grass for a while often turned some rods into that cloudy varnish.
Greets
Bernd

[Bruce]

It's funny but this only happened with Sage rods.


Pete

Curious that so far we only know of it happening to Sage rods

Bruce

[Bruce]

I think some types of varnish are completly resistant to water while others can absorb some water. If they do it may get "cloudy".
Yet the clody colour was gone always after drying the rod again.
Casting on grass on rainy days and then leaving the rod in wet grass for a while often turned some rods into that cloudy varnish.
Greets
Bernd

I initially wondered if the water was actually getting under the varnish but now think, as you suggest, it gets absorbed.

Cheers
Bruce

[allegheny]

Yes, ~20 years ago, I had an heavily fished SAGE RPL go milky (and stay) over the wraps and blank after fishing in the rain. SAGE considered it a defect and replaced it. The replacement was less prone to milking, but still milked up in extreme wet conditions; however, upon drying it cleared. The wraps and Logo area on an older (15 years ?) Loomis GLX now will milk up if fished for hours in the rain, but clears upon drying. When new, it didn't do this. I think as the finish ages, it becomes more susceptible to water ingress. Water enters into the polymer matrix, bonds, and causes phase separation and crystalization (haze). It's best to keep the ''hydrated'' rods (and bags) out of the tube until thoroughly dry. This may take days. I've seen the finish on rods fished hard and put away wet turn into an ugly mess.

[thefly]

My CCGLX used to do it if left too long to soak, with no ill effects.