I am about to build a light conventional setup on a Castaway SWR-IP 842 that I got a long time ago. This will be used with a low-profile baitcaster, and I plan to use an exposed blank trigger seat. I have marked out where the reel will sit, and my measurements show between a 9.8 to 9.9 opening at the tip end, to about a 10.1 on the butt end of the area. Am I better off buying a seat (thinking a Fuji ECSM, ACS, or possibly a Minima Ultra-lite) with size 9.5 I.D. and them reaming it to fit snugly, or should I go with a 10 I.D. and have a bit of space for epoxy?

Thanks all.
Joe

IMHO, reaming to fit produces a nicer, cleaner finished seat assembly. Still plenty of surface for adhesion.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

I agree, go smaller and ream to fit.
Norm

As others have said, go smaller, and if you need to, ream to fit. You may not need to ream at all depending on the actual dimension of the seat you order. Just a suggestion .... when you order which ever seat you go end up going with, either call them and talk to someone, or put a notation with your order, that you'd like them to measure the seat they're going to send you. The last two seats of that type (different seat than the ones you mentioned) that I ordered, were not their advertised ID.

Tell the person that you personally will ream the seat. You just want to be sure that you don't get a seat that is over sized.

Just something about the Minima seat. It's a nice seat, but as a two piece seat you're only concerned with the ID of the trigger portion of the seat. The thread section is a tube that you'll either have to make some sort of arbor to mount it on the rod, or you can use one of the foam insert shims and ream it to fit the blank.

And one last thing about the Minima seat that may sway you one way or the other. If you have used a split seat then you are aware that they don't fill your hand like an ECSM or ACS. I found the Minima seat to be uncomfortable to use for a flipping and pitching presentation. I don't have a comfort problem with split seats of any other presentations. Just flipping and pitching. It's a hand position thing for me. It may not be something that bothers you, but may be something to think about.

Thank you all for your input. This gives me a much better idea of what I need.