Had a very similar experience with them on a 8'6" Salmon/Steelhead rod when I dropped it on hard pack sand surf fishing. It landed just perfectly to whip the rod as it fell and broke the last 10" or so of the tip after beating the crap out of it for almost a year.I bought a Fenwick Flyrod in Bozeman two years ago at Bob Wards. Got the receipt and put it my son's glovebox. 2 days later I'm fishing the Gallatin and stumble on some rocks and fall - breaking my rod. I go home, call my son a week later and ask for the receipt to be sent to me. He threw it away while cleaning out his car. Dang! Ended up contacting Fenwick anyway. Sent them a picture of the broken rod and told them about stumbling on rocks and the receipt being thrown away. Told them the date I purchased the rod and where I purchased it. They sent me a new rod. Thought that was pretty good. Kept a loyal customer by doing that for me.
Didn't have a receipt took pictures told them those same details and I had one in my hands less than 2 weeks after I dropped it and broke it.