MickD

It's all about loading the rod properly to store then "spend" the energy on the cast. Like a hunting bow, the rod stores energy when it flexes. Too little weight for the power of the rod and it's inefficient and casting becomes more difficult and, IMHO, less accurate. Too much weight and the rod can be overpowered. It can even fail. So the recommended range is the manufacturers' statement of the range of weights that will not fail the rod and make it most efficient. You can go outside it, but if you go far up from it, go to more of a slow lob.

Never heard of the friction ring, have a number of Stradics in the family, no problems ever. BUT NOW, having heard about it, I'm sure at least one will start malfing. ?

Most likely cracked ring on tiptop. Use a Q-tip, insert into guides and rotate to see if the guide "grabs" the Q-tip or frays the Q-tip. Check all the guides.

Helix 7 is 12 volts, I'm sure. Don't go any higher without reading the owner's manual. Follow those instructions.

Vanish must now be different than the old Vanish that we used to joke about? Why the different pound tests, diminishing with depth? thanks,

Since the characteristics of a perfect line and a perfect leader material are not the same, I wonder how one product can be perfect at both. I have already spent a fortune on FC that didn't work as a line, so I'll let others take over here.

I don't throw heavy swim baits, but am not sure what the worry is? Isn't the weight of the fish the issue and not the weight of the lure?

Many builders don't use any tools other than their eyes and a bright light. Eyes are pretty good, especially when you point the rod at a window or other bright light source. The guides become silhouetted and misalignment is pretty easy to see. With small guides I find that running my thumb and forefinger along the blank from guide to guide will detect pretty small misalignments. Practice practice practice and one will find a method that works.

A tip, the last step before putting wrap epoxy onto the wraps, check alignment. You can still move the guides a little after color preservative, but once the epoxy is on, it's over. Don't ask how I know this. I have taken an old spin reel and cut the foot off making it into a pretty effective alignment tool. Which works with casting builds too.

It goes like this around here: "How many rods do you need? Don't you have enough fishing tackle?" Response: "How many purses do you need? Don't you have enough pairs of shoes?" I bought an inexpensive boat one time without first consulting her, and she's never forgotten. Nor have I. I don't try to trick her; I just do it and take my lumps. Trickery in any form isn't the right solution here. I simply explain that rod-building is my hobby and I'll probably never have enough rods, and that tackle purchases are based on replenishing and buying newly introduced stuff. I also explain that different techniques require different equipment, a lot like different occasions require different shoes. I don't think she understands or totally agrees, but she's not going to divorce me over it. She is in fact more frugal than I, and i appreciate that. But we are two different people who need to be ourselves. As you do. Works for us. I don't think tricking is the right thing to do. I think A-Jay has a good ideal about the wedding vows. You two should be able to have an honest and rational discussion over this. If you are taking food off the table or clothes off her back to finance your fishing, which is unlikely, then you need to reconsider your purchasing behavior.

A little heat (very little) should allow the tiptop to be straightened. Before trying to straighten the guides I caution you to consider the "dry wall principal," which states that there comes a time in every project when any attempts to make it better will most likely result in making it worse. I think you are already there with respect to the guides. For this minor misalignment, which will not affect the performance, I would give a call to St Croix, send them the photo, and see what they have to say.

Rainshadow IP843, Seven foot, ML power, MF action, perfect for snapping swim baits (3.5-4") off the bottom, slow rolling them, drop shot, Ned, small cranks. About everything light exc tubes, although my son likes his for that, too. I like a little more power in my tube rod. Many on this forum have commented really positively on the St Croix SCV ML, F as a favorite of theirs. I expect this rod is a lot like the St Croix, which I have not built yet.

I only buy fuel from what I think are high volume stations thinking that they will be less likely to have water in the fuel than a little mom and pop store. I think if you can avoid the water you'll be avoiding the problems.

My favorite braid is Hitena Pure Line, very small diameter for its pound test, never any problems of any kind. A little pricey but lasts and lasts (also can have its life extended by reversing it). I use 21 pound test, which casts like other 15's I've tried. I first bought it for a fool-proof bonefish line that would be strong enough yet small enough to allow a lot on the reel. Perfect. I use Hitena fly tippet for the leader, seems to have fine knot strength. Smooth is not a priority of mine, but I don't remember noise from it.

the base is welded to the trailer, but it has to pivot, which means that the pivoting parts can be disassembled. Another bolt-on jack can be bolted to the trailer right next to the base, can't it? Worst case, the base can be cut off. Let us know how it goes, sorry for your string of bad luck.

I'm no expert on this material, but it does look to me like a rub from a fender or other part of a trailer. If you look closely you should see a lot of little short scratches that indicate slight movement when in contact with something that's not moving. Looking a second time at the photo it appears that the "scratches" are actually "gouges," and in that case it would be somewhat structural since the base material looks to be damaged. If it is a strike like from hitting a dock hard you should see a single long track of the object that did the damage. in that case I would think there could be structural damage. In both cases if the base material is damaged, it's more than cosmetic. However, most likely this boat has been fished since the damage occurred. If this is the case it most likely is cosmetic. Ask the seller when it happened. Take it to a Stratos dealer for their assessment.

The model number on plastics would be handy for a search function since the name shown on vendors' listings don't always match the names on the package. "Watermelon candy green pumpkin" might be shown as "Watermelon candy red laminate." I just went through something like this where I couldn't match the Strike King name on their site with a vendor offering name. But it was there when I got the name thing sorted out.

I don't think any of us can fix this. BUT, maybe TW could. Ask TW.

If it's been working ok before and just started malfing then most likely the mechanism is not going into its open position and all it needs is a little lube (not on the ball, but on the mechanism of the trailer) to free it.

Long rain pants are good. Keeps the water out of your shoes.

Don't move it much, just let it set, then when your impatience gets the best of you, just nudge it along a little, then wait again. Easy to overdo it. AND use the proper color for your water. LMB seem to like the PB & J and Junebug quite well and SMB like the greens better, New Money, Canada Craw. White in very clear water. Keep in mind that every fish may be part of a good pattern. Color preference may change during the day.

Here are the "why's" regarding my line choices: Surface: Mono, easy casting, significant stretch which softens my often too fast and hard response to the strike, AND IT DOESN'T SINK. Fluoro sinks which screws up the action of many surface lures. Finesses: Braid with Fluoro leaders Braid has little to no stretch so makes it much more sensitive than mono or Fluoro, easier to feel subtle strikes. Also when the 10-15 pound test braid is used it allows very long casts and good hook sets at long range. I like the fluoro leader to soften it just a bit and to allow a lot of lure changes without shortening my braid. 4 inch swimbaits on jigs, snapping of the bottom: Braid with leader on a ML power, MF action rod. The rod action is important to get a proper snap and fall and the ML power is right for proper loading of the 3/16 oz jigs. The braid gives better hook sets than mono or FC. Cranks: Mostly mono for it's easy casting and significant stretch, keeps the fish on better with trebles than braid. I don't like fluoro for a main line because it costs so much and is so fragile-a backlash with a baitcaster can easily break a $20 line in no time. It also doesn't cast as well as braid or mono, often with the line coming off th spool, both BC and spin. There are some recommended that are more manageable, but I don't see the advantage in paying big bucks for a fragile line that requires a lot more attention than braid or mono.

You have very long arms. ?

I want the best at the helm for navigating with all possible info and don't need the top of the line at the trolling motor. Although if bucks didn't matter, I'd have the best both places. Now and then I wish for more up front.

I've worn my Phonaks into the shower a number of times for short dunks and they were not damaged. The only times I ever took them fishing in the boat was when I forgot them. I have very severe hearing loss at high frequencies, but normal at low frequencies. I never thought I was gaining anything with them on in the boat. Mine were covered by Auto Owners home owners policy with a rider, but AO doesn't offer the rider any more. I think they were losing to fraud and carelessness.