I was just looking at some examples of others work on spiral wraps and was wondering what is the difference between spiraling CW or CCW around the blank (looking from the butt). I have a couple of spiral wraps that were built 15 years ago by a rodmaker who introduced me to this phenomenon and they are still the best casting rods I own. They wrap CCW. Some of the examples I've seen on the web wrap CW.

Ray

Personal preference, really. I wrap CCW since I think it counterbalances the cranking on the right, but others wrap CW so that a bass rod will lay on the boat without breaking guides if someone were to step wrong.

As far as performance, it makes no difference which way you spiral. I do it CW. I do not have a reason other than that is the way I have always done it.

Did my first spiral wrap (cw) on a 13' float rod. I love the way it casts and I haven't had anyproblems (except for the strange looks on the river) getting a drift or with fighting a fish. I'm going to use it exclusively on the casting rods I build from now on. Thanks to everyone on the board who helped me with the lay out of the rod.

Ray,

I build baitcasting rods with the "Yorkshire corkscrew", and to answer your question. I place the spiral on the side of the rod that the reel handles will be on. That way when you lay the rod down, it holds the guides off of the floor of the boat. It makes no difference to the performance of the spiral.

Bill Doherty

Only problem now is anyone doing a search for info has to feed in 10 different names to find all of it.
John

I did not mean to throw a "corkscrew" into the works. If a moderator wants to add the words: spiral guide wrap, to my post in the title or body, do it.

Bill Doherty

Good Point John,
Whether by the name of "yorkshire corkscrew", or the "yankee twist", "tornado wrap", "acid wrap", or "canadian direct line path counter clockwise modified spiral guided missile wrap" , I think the pattern over the years that is known to custom rodbuilders will have individual variations and preferences. More the concept of design matched to function and the blank at hand.
The important thing is that the design is meant for the particular function of the rod you propose to build, for example 'stability' but also improvements that will allow further casting distance or better fish handling characteristics. I also like to think that not only guide distance and angle placements is important, but also the 'total' matching component selection process from blank to guide type and size. Also taking into account the stuff that will be attatched to the rod for optimal performance (that is the reel and line type).

I usually wrap CCW. Don't ask me why, other than habit.

Rich
Solyrich Custom Rods

After listening to all the answers on this question it got me to thinking. I'm primarily a bass fisherman fishing from the deck of a bassboat. I notice that a good portion of the time a right handed fisherman will fight his fish off to the right if possible. Left handers do the same. Also when casting, the right handers tend to cant to the right and left handers to the left. Do you think this might have any bearing on which way would be best to wrap depending on whether the customer is right or left handed.

Ray Alston
Goldrush Rods

Ray,

No. I am right handed, but I sometimes "flip" with my left hand. I can tell no difference. Again, I think if you reasearch some reading material, you will find it makes no difference. All the builders I have talked to put the spiral on the side of the rod that the reel handles will be on. Down the road, if you switch reels and the handles are on the opposite side, the only thing lost is that little extra protection the handles provided.

Bill Doherty