Trying to see if i am in the ball park with my set up i have been testing the last couple of days.

Rod is 11' 2 piece Century rated 2-5 oz.
The center of the reel seat is 27 1/2" from the butt.
The stripper guide is 31 1/2" from center of reel seat.
Guides are fuji BMNAG
From tip in inches: !st > 5 7/8
2nd> 12
3rd> 18 1/8
4th> 25 1/2
5th> 34
6th> 451/2
7th> 59
8th> 73 3/4(Stripper)
I am using 17lb mono and throwing 3 & 4 oz bank sinker. Using Diawia Saltist 20. I step off the distance and averaging from 83 to 90 steps. Trying to get 3 feet a step. So i guess i am averaging approximately 250 to 270 feet. Just wondering if the distance is in the ball park or should i be getting more distance. This is my first surf rod build.

Thanks,

Roger,
Try to get a copy of Rodmaker Magazine Volume 7, Issue #1. There is a long article on surf rod building which is quite complete. If you are using a conventional reel, give some consideration to a spiral wrapped rod. If you are going to use a spinning set-up, read about the New Guide Concept which can be found in the Library Section of this forum web site above. I believe this will answer all of your questions ( most of them anyway). Good luck.

Mike Blomme

Roger,

My blank is the HJ132SPH, 2 - 5 oz. Hatteras Jack (HJ) is now called the Sling Shot series. Is this what you are talking about? It has been thoroughly test cast on a ball field. I used a measuring wheel for getting the distance.

I was getting 110 - 125 yds. with this set up ...

Emblem Pro 6000A reel
Fireline 30# Crystal line
4 oz. bank sinker... the sweet spot, imo
NGC guide arrangement
Center of reel seat is 22" from butt end

The stripper guides tested were 30 mm and 25 mm at 39"- 42" from the end of the reel spool. This puts the stripper on the rod tip. Not much performance difference in amongst these ranges.

I could not bottom out the rod with 4 oz. This means that someone stronger than myself could probably get a lot more distance out of it. It would not be surprising if someone with good technique can cast a bank sinker 150 yds with it.

I am sure you can improve your distance by using "broken in" braid and by switching to the NGC guide arrangement.

There was a CTS casting gathering in my area which I recently attended. The 11', 2 - 4 oz. (Mod# VT1104) I test cast is more parabolic than the Century. As a middle aged man, I appreciated this because it loaded with less effort. It launched the 4 oz sinker like a rocket.
Without yet completing the Centry build, the CTS is already on the radar, lol.

James

The blank came from Hatteras Jack, and the word Century is written on the blank. Ryan says 2 - 5 oz. Using a conventional reel. I am on the small size at 5' 9" about 165lbs & 61 yrs old. Maybe if i tried braid i might could get little more distance. I have moved guides and reel seat around a lot. Also tried 20mm, 16mm, 12mm and 10's rest o way and 10 tip. Got about same distance.

Michael
I have the magazine you mentioned. Thanks

It's impossible to judge a setup without actually seeing it, but to me, what you're doing looks pretty good, on paper at least. The spacing is progressive, and the distances seem about right, as does the guide sizing. And it's also impossible to judge distance without seeing how good a caster you are, but pushing 100 yards, with any kind of setup, seems pretty darn good to me as well.

I'll probably get pilloried for this, but when I do guide setups, I don't worry that much about how far something goes. If it goes 60 yards or 90 yards - this doesn't matter to me. What does matter are comparative distances: if you increase the size of the butt guide, and distance decreases, go back to the smaller guide; if you move the butt guide an inch farther from the reel, and distance increases, then move it another inch farther away and see if the cast goes farther still. Keep repeating until you've tweaked the most casting performance out of the blank as you can. It's time consuming, but it's not rocket science.

I will add one thing about this: there is a large difference, in my opinion, in terms of casting performance, between braid and mono. Before I begin test casting and guide tweaking, I always decide whether I'm going to use mono or braid on the finished rod, and then use the same thing while testing.

And I mention this because going to braid is probably the single biggest thing you can do to increase your distance. And if you want to try this, do a few test casts with braid before you wrap and finish your rod. You might find that the spacing that you currently have is optimal; you might find that you can tweak things (using smaller guides, for example, especially the ones closer to the butt), and end up with a rod that casts better. What you don't want to do is build a rod for mono, and then use the finished rod exclusively with braid. You'll probably be missing some performance by going this way.

Roger,

Sorry, I assumed you were talking about spin casting. I could not cast anywhere near 90 yds with a conventional set up.

I do believe we have the same blank, the HJ132SPH which is now called the Sling Shot 1327. It is becoming popular here in the Northeast with plug casters looking for a little more distance. Pluggers usually do not like to go above 11' here on LI, anyway. After test casting it, I am sure it can cast well above its lure rating.


Conventional cast distance probably has more to do with casting technique and tuning the reel than with the guide arrangement or using braid over mono. To answer your question there is no better person to go to than the one who sold you the rod, Ryan White. As you may know, he is an expert distance caster himself. He knows how to supe up conventional reels with magnets and ceramic ball bearings, as well as, teach casting techniques.

Enjoy your Sling Shot.

I build a lot of surf rods, and I'll have to say just looking at your numbers look pretty good. You must take into considerationthe reel you're using and you're abilities with it. I've seen a lot of guys spend huge bucks on high end customs that can't throw 60 yards, and then some old guy with an off the shelf tica of similar length and action throw 130 yards.

I think your setup is OK ,I'd look at better reel tuning or a faster reel.

Enjoy!

Walt

Walt Davenport
"Roadhouse Rods"

I would have to go with James and tell you I bet Ryan has done extensive testing and has a guide layout for that blank . It sure can't hurt to give him a call and ask..