Short answer: Sawyer gear is durable, not indestructible, and most wear can be fixed at home. Worn blade tips get a Pro-Tip Kit, scratched or dull finishes get a varnish kit, gouges get SilverTip Epoxy, and a worn oar wrap gets a Rope Wrap Kit.
Which kit fixes what
| Problem | Kit | Price | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worn or chewed-up oar blade tips | Molded Oar Pro-Tip Kit | From $57 | Pre-formed Dynel/Kevlar Pro-Tips, SilverTip epoxy with Cab-O-Sil, gloves. Deluxe adds varnish, brush and sanding discs. Narrow, Wide or Shoal Cut; single or pair. |
| Dull or scratched finish on wood paddles and oars | Spar Varnish Kit | From $45 | Pint or quart of Sawyer Spar Varnish, 2" brush, 80/120/320 sanding discs, buffing pad |
| Refinishing composite paddles and oars | Composite Spar Varnish Kit | From $57 | Everything above plus foam plugs and a pair of foam grips |
| Gouges, cracks, bonding and filling | SilverTip Epoxy Kit | From $25 | 4 oz resin and 2 oz fast hardener (2:1); optional Cab-O-Sil thickener |
| Worn rope wrap where the oar rides the oarlock | Oar Rope Wrap Kit | $25 | 80 ft of 3/16" braided nylon, black or white, plus instructions |
| Lost or worn blade-lock buttons | Tite-Set Kit | $18 | 2 buttons (large 3/4" or small 1/2"), fish keychain tool with bottle opener |
| Broken PRO STICK paddle blade | Pro Stick Blade Replacement Kit | $91 | CFRT composite blade (7.5" x 15"), epoxy, heat-shrink collar |
| Oarlocks sitting too low | Oarlock Shim Kit | From $16 | Delrin bushings: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" tall, 5/8" inner diameter |
Contents and prices from the SOLWYRX shop, October 2026.
Good to know
- Same finish Sawyer uses. Sawyer Spar Varnish is a tung oil phenolic marine varnish with a UV absorber, made for Sawyer by Miller Paints. It's the same finish on their paddles and oars.
- SilverTip epoxy wets out fiberglass, Kevlar, Dynel, graphite and wood. Sawyer says the fast hardener is sandable the same day under normal conditions, and you don't need to sand between coats if you recoat within 72 hours.
- Rope wrap math: every inch of wrap uses 3–4 feet of rope. One kit covers one 15–18" wrap or two 7–8" wraps.
- Tite-Set sizes: large 3/4" buttons for standard oar blades and breakdown shafts; small 1/2" for SST oars and breakdown paddles.
- Shipping: epoxy and varnish are hazardous materials, so they ship by ground only.
Before you start
Read the instructions that come with each kit, and follow the epoxy maker's mixing and safety directions. Work somewhere ventilated, wear gloves, and take your time. A good repair beats a fast one.
If the damage is bad, like a snapped shaft or a blade that's delaminating, replacing the part can make more sense. Send me a photo and I'll tell you what I'd do.
Quick answers
Can I fix worn Sawyer oar blade tips myself? Yes. The Molded Oar Pro-Tip Kit (from $57) includes pre-formed Dynel/Kevlar Pro-Tips, SilverTip epoxy with Cab-O-Sil, and gloves.
What varnish does Sawyer use? Sawyer Spar Varnish, a tung oil phenolic marine varnish with a UV absorber made for Sawyer by Miller Paints.
How much rope does it take to rewrap an oar? Every inch of wrap uses 3–4 feet of rope. One 80 ft kit covers one 15–18" wrap or two 7–8" wraps.
Why do epoxy and varnish ship ground only? They're hazardous materials, so they can only ship by ground.
