Warranty Policy

1. This section sets out the warranty policy for goods or services purchased directly from The Flyrod Workshop (formerly Taniwha Rodworks), online or by any other means.  

2. In most cases (exclusions and exceptions below) our items are sold with a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects to protect you in the unlikely event of a product failure due to a defect, or that we supply you with a product with a defect that we did not see.

3. The general approach and aim if a product falls short of reasonable quality and durability expectations within the warranty period is to make it good and get you back on the water as soon as we reasonably can.

4. The essential first step is that you contact us by email with a good resolution photo of the product fault or damage area. If the issue is a broken or damaged blank or rod section, please also supply photos of the whole rod.

Warranty exclusions and exceptions

5. The warranty does not cover

• Accidental damage (your home contents insurance might do so).
• Intentional damage, misuse, or the failure of a product that you have modified.
• Consequential loss such as but not limited to: a curtailed fishing trip (always bring a spare rod!), expenditure on other rod components that cannot be re-used.

6. Products labelled and sold as end-of-line or clearance items are supplied with a reduced warranty of 3 months. Our normal returns policy applies. Replacement parts are unlikely to be available for end-of-line or clearance items in the future.

7. Products labelled and sold as seconds are graded as cosmetically imperfect but are otherwise fit for use. There is no warranty for seconds, but our normal returns policy applies.

Blanks and rods warranty

8. Rod blank flaws are thankfully very rare, but if a blank does have a flaw, it will typically fail in the first few outings. It is always a good idea to inspect the blank carefully, and to give it a good flex and wiggle or test cast with taped-on guides before assembling the rod. And to test cast again before going fishing.

9. Accidental damage or misuse is not covered by the warranty. For the purposes of this warranty misuse includes, but is not limited to:

• use of a fly rod blank for other types of fishing
• use of a single-handed fly blank for two-handed casting
• using the rod inappropriately, for example using a 2-weight rod to target large fish, or pulling excessively with your rod when your fly gets snagged (point the rod at the snag and pull on the line without flexing the rod).

10. From time-to-time rods that have performed well for months or years can break for no apparent reason. This type of failure is unlikely to be a product flaw, but within the warranty period you will be given the benefit of the doubt unless there is clear evidence of accidental damage or misuse. Reasons for unexplained failure might include weakening from impacts e.g., from bead head flies or knocks on boats or branches. Or rod build issues such as guide feet damaging the blank surface because they have not been prepared properly, or because they were wrapped with excessive thread tension.

11. For our higher price point blanks and rods we carry spare tips in case of breakage, subject to availability. For our lower price blanks, we carry a few extra blanks in case spare parts are needed. We will usually have spares available for 2-3 years from product launch.

Warranty claim process

12. For blanks and rods that meet our warranty claim criteria, we will accept and confirm to you that the breakage was due to a fault. The first recourse is to replace a damaged section. To do so you will need to return the rod or part of the rod so we can confirm good ferrule fit (we will tell you what we need). You will bear the postage cost of doing so, and we will bear the cost of sending a replacement.

13. If we have a suitable replacement section, we will send it to you. We may send you a complete blank/rod (as applicable) instead. Alternative options such as a refund, exchange or a credit note will only be considered at our discretion.

If section or full replacement is not possible the blank/rod cost would be refunded.

At fault or out-of-warranty damage

14. To obtain a replacement section the same process applies, but we will charge for it: 50% of the full retail blank price if we have to break up a complete rod blank, or 30% if we have existing spares available that will fit.

Other components

15. The same process applies, and we will replace the item if possible. If we do not have a replacement in stock, we will offer a similar alternative, or a full refund.