Zach Matthews
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John –
Radian is using both a new resin and some new fiber but I don’t believe they are using any of the 3M nano-particles previously used by Hardy and St. Croix. Sage and Scott both passed on those when they were first offered after testing. Per Bartschi directly from a conversation back at that time:, “3M developed a technology to better polish nano silica particles so they would disperse more thoroughly in epoxy resins. Nano silica additives had been around for at least seven years but were a failing technology due to clumping or agglomeration in the resin (which actually causes the cured material to be weaker than no additives). After improving on this existing technology, 3M sent teams out to commercialize the product in different industries. Sporting good in general, and fly rods specifically are a very small part of that plan… If we had decided to use the material, we would have obtained the license from 3M to roll with material form an authorized pre-pregger, or we’d be forced to buy the blanks [] from an existing authorized partner.”
Unless there was a great leap forward I think the answer is yes to new resin but no to the resin you’re thinking of.
This is another explanation I’ve heard for Scott’s new ReAct technology: “[In] layman’s terms, it’s a taper, fiber, resin system that amps up recovery speed and dampening.”
Rod companies are cagey about their tech, and they often tend to put one all-encompassing label on a series of different technologies that all get added in at once, but that individually might be kind of minor (Sage’s Generation 5). I was told that the prototype Radian I cast last fall (which incidentally is on the cover of Fly Rod & Reel right now) had the taper of the production Radian but not the new resins, which do a better job of dampening post-cast vibration and which are stronger for their weight.
Strength for weight is the arms race of fly rod design. In ten years Radian will feel bulky and abnormally stiff compared to whatever is on the market by then.
Zach
Obviously the server issues are coming and going. I apologize for the down time and I appreciate y’all continuing to check in.
This site runs on a web host called JaguarPC. With the new software we’re using, all back-end information like post content, user logins, etc., is handled by a secondary server called a MySQL server. For some reason the MySQL sever assigned to this account has been on the fritz. If it continues I will absolutely switch hosts, but since that is an enormous pain and very time consuming, I will try to give JaguarPC a chance to fix their issues.
Ironically the server seems to be screwing up because our traffic is increasing again. My guess is they are not allocating enough resources to this site.
Zach
CB –
Where were you fishing? Mother Nature has to be getting chafed from the reaming she’s been administering this year.
Zach
Thanks all. Bob I hope you are right. One thing this did was remind me that in certain circumstances I need to go full-res and use RAW. They took that shot from the center of a horizontal pic and it could be sharper (although it’s acceptable — I’ve seen the print now).
Zach
It’s interesting to me that Nikon’s ergonomics were the first thing you disliked, David. I’ve always shot Nikon and their ergonomics are usually the first thing I point to when comparing the differences with Canon; I find them to be very superior. It really just must be what you’re used to.
At the end of the day I believe the two companies are essentially equivalent.
Zach
Bad deal. A lot of people have commented, ‘well they have insurance.’ Yes, they would have insurance coverage over the stolen goods themselves, but only at wholesale prices. It’s not like they automatically get to “sell” all that stuff for their expected profit. And this is about the worst time of year to suddenly have no inventory–height of summer travel season in Montana, just after the show (when all the manufacturers are back-ordered). This will hurt the fly shop insurance or no. If you’re planning a trip through Twin Bridges, swing by the Stonefly Inn and buy some stuff to help them out.
Zach
I took a video of Tracy casting after her first twenty minute lesson. I am proud of her – top 3 in terms of people I have taught. This one doesn’t show her hauling but she was getting the hang of a backcast haul by the end too. Twenty minutes!
Travis those are some really nice smallmouth man. Thanks for sharing and for the fly selection tips – obviously you’ve put in the time on this one.
Zach
Ha ha! I’m reading along, oh nice smallies, those are some pretty little fish. Scroll scroll…
WHOA!
That was not what I was expecting! Great post Travis! I’m with Steve on your boat – it doesn’t look wide enough to be the Hog Island Skiff. Did something change?
Zach
Huh, I typed a post earlier but it must not have gone through. I saw an East Cape Fury at the local lake the other day – the fit and finish on those boats is terrific. I know the initial knock was that they were “tippy” (although that’s probably just because they were nearly micro-skiffs in size back when the company was East Cape Canoes). But there didn’t look to be anything tippy about the Fury – long boat, a little skinny side to side but all around very nice.
Steve –
Are you actually hitting those over near Augusta? I’d be interested in your observations of how the fishery has developed.
Thanks,
ZachThat’s awesome Justin. I’ve been to that part of the world and I actually have one of those paddles on my office wall at home. Mine is short since it was all I could get through the airlines. Piranha’s pretty tasty, huh? Catch any payara?
Zach
I like Steve’s idea too. Also consistent with it being a 2013 boat — new owner, no trailer experience. Might be easier to fix, Jay.
Jay has a fiberglass shop at his disposal so this is going to be interesting to say the least.
Brett I appreciate the specifics on the Nikkor lineup. I’ve been running the pro-sumer f/4 line for a long time now and those lenses have survived everything I’ve thrown at them including in the case of the 12-24mm DX f/4 one full submersion. Sounds like the 16-35mm is my sweet spot.
Zach