Tuna Express R710

"When Rodhouse first contacted me about this project, the request was truly unique: to create a blank with a tip capable of casting small 30g lures while still being able to handle fish up to 50kg with ease. Needless to say, from a design perspective, this presented a real challenge.

I started by looking through our existing range to see if I could find something similar in terms of action. We didn't have anything comparable, but it gave me an idea of ​​the avenues to explore. Another unique requirement was a butt section with an external diameter of no more than 0.750". Not really a problem, except that in this case, the ferrule also had to be inserted through the inside of the butt, not with a tip-over-butt or spigot joint.

These two conditions meant that I couldn't use the diameter of the The butt section is designed to provide rigidity. There are three ways to add rigidity to a blank: you can adjust the diameter, the wall thickness, and the type of material. I quickly realized that I would need to use at least three different types of materials and play with the positioning of the modules to achieve the desired action and power. I decided to use 24T carbon for the butt section, with a special reinforcement of about 10cm at the ferrule to prevent breakage under heavy load in that area. Next, the tip section: three different materials would be used in its construction, namely our E-Glass, 24T carbon, and 30T carbon. The E-Glass is extremely strong and allowed me to achieve the desired flexibility in the tip. Then, the 24T and 30T carbons provide the power and rigidity needed to handle a tuna. 50kg or any other fish of the same type. Since the tip is quite thin along its entire length, I had to use more 24T and 30T carbon than usual on a more conventional blank. The first prototype I sent to Rodhouse lacked power. On subsequent prototypes, I added a good amount of 30T carbon to gain even more power and push the breaking strength under load. A lot of work went into the proportions of each material to ensure everything was perfect. To be honest, this development work is among the most interesting I've ever done. Without the close collaboration with Rodhouse, none of this would have been possible. Mike Thorson