[Matt Henderson]

I've ordered three blanks from CTS!

Two are 13ft #8/9 rods and the third is a 10ft 5wt. 

I would like a downlocking reel seat for the 13ft rods and probably uplocking for the 10ft rod.  Can an uplocking reel seat simply be inverted to become a downlocking seat?

Cheers

matt

[stickleback]

I think so.  For my last build (on a CTS salmon blank) I used a Struble U29 which I got from David Norwich.  He also did a rubberised cork shive for me so the real seat recessed properly into the handle.  Going by the 'U' at the start of the U29 I'm presuming it's really supposed to be an uplocking seat but I did it downlocking and I'm well pleased with the result.

[Rob Brownfield]

In general you can turn them round. Some seats come with a "butt cap" already in position so naturally you are snookered then

In the 13 footers it might be worth using a "Spey" skeleton seat. Designed to take slighly larger reels associated with Salmon/Sea trout and you can put what ever insert you want on it then. Looks good with cork in my opinion

[David Norwich]

I've ordered three blanks from CTS!

Two are 13ft #8/9 rods and the third is a 10ft 5wt. 

I would like a downlocking reel seat for the 13ft rods and probably uplocking for the 10ft rod.  Can an uplocking reel seat simply be inverted to become a downlocking seat?

Cheers

matt

There is nothing to stop you doing that.

The thinking in my case behind fitting downlocking on a salmon rod, is that the C of G is lower down the rod. On a single handed rod, it places the reel the centre of gravity nearer the casting hand.

Both have the effect, imagined or otherwise,.....of reducing inertia and swing weight.






David.

www.davidnorwich.com