# High performance Custom heaver (video)



## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Lots of posting on high performance heavers so i thought i'd toss a big dog in the fight.... lol

This is Roy Allens custom built AFAW Beach. Roy built this rod for AFAW USA to display in the rod show. As it turns out AFAW's participation in the rod show was cancelled (bummer) but Roys work of art turned out *GREAT*. It is absolutely beautiful.

I have cast a lot of heavers and over the past couple of years have tested quite a few. Today this rod just blew away every heaver that I have had the pleasure to test.

I was casting a 6500 mag elite. This is a fishing reel with 15 lb test line. It is the same reel i used a while back when testing several heavers including the fusion, inferno and the HDX. NOT a tourney reel by any stretch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pqtiBAHnF8

Ground cast with 6oz - 629'.
Hatteras cast with 8oz pyramid - 611'.

My previous PB measured 8 oz cast was a 602' cast last year casting with Clyde.

Don't overlook the Beach for a high performance 8nbait heaver.


Tommy


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

Pretty work done by Roy and as always.. thanks for the write up.. I might have to test this AFAW out this spring.


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

Tommy... thanks for the report... was wondering how the beach performed with the heavier weights... got mine hoping it'd be up to the task of fishing the point...


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

Tommy, Great Video, and Awesome rod.... Are you planning on doing video's for the Rock and Match rods..?


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

Nice video Tommy. While we don't have much use for 8 ounce rods here along our NE Florida coast, maybe it's time to trade in an All Star 1508 for an AFAW "Beach" for the occasional OBX trip -- probably would be easier on these old shoulders.

It was pleasing to see lowriders on that rod that Roy built. I like those guides on my rods. Four or five months ago someone up in the middle Atlantic region was talking about building a custom AFAW Beach and was asking the P&S forum about recommended guides. I chimed in with my thoughts on the lowriders, which were on my pair of custom AFAW "Surf" rods. Seemed like 13' whether "Surf" or "Beach", ought to work the same on either rod. 

The recommendations of several folks that followed that post were flat against using lowriders on a conventioal rod. The guides were too low to the blank was the reasoning. Just curious, after that demo would you put lowriders on a Beach you were having built for yourself?


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## RockhopperUK (Jul 13, 2005)

Another well produced video Tommy

I would be interested to find out how many hours work Roy put into that fine looking rod...looks like a labour of love!

BTW....I have took to putting Silver chrome Fuji BMNAG guides on my rods now....IMO I think they look better than the standard black ones.

Tom.


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## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

Tommy- 
It must have been disheartening for Roy, that his rod wasn't shown, where it was intended to be shown. At least we got to see what his imagination had conjured up. Must be a patient man. It is beautifully done up.

It had to be the 'deal' with the show, because the AFAW line sure wasn't left out, based on their performance levels or fit and finish, worthiness for surf fishing, etc.

Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on the new personal best.


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## Stevie Wonder (Apr 20, 2007)

Tommy... Great video... That custom AFAW Beach is a work of Art. Truly a labor of Love. 
Will you do a video in the near future on the Match Rod as asked by KMW? I've had my eye on that rod for some time.


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## Stevie Wonder (Apr 20, 2007)

Sea Level said:


> Nice video Tommy. While we don't have much use for 8 ounce rods here along our NE Florida coast, maybe it's time to trade in an All Star 1508 for an AFAW "Beach" for the occasional OBX trip -- probably would be easier on these old shoulders.
> 
> It was pleasing to see lowriders on that rod that Roy built. I like those guides on my rods. Four or five months ago someone up in the middle Atlantic region was talking about building a custom AFAW Beach and was asking the P&S forum about recommended guides. I chimed in with my thoughts on the lowriders, which were on my pair of custom AFAW "Surf" rods. Seemed like 13' whether "Surf" or "Beach", ought to work the same on either rod.
> 
> The recommendations of several folks that followed that post were flat against using lowriders on a conventioal rod. The guides were too low to the blank was the reasoning. Just curious, after that demo would you put lowriders on a Beach you were having built for yourself?


Tommy... I'm curious... Is it the low rider guides that gave you your personal best? Aside from the beauty of Roy Allen's rod you rate it over the stock Beach. Interesting comparison. Steve


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Thanks for the comments guys,

Rockfish - Don't worry, the Beach is absolutely up to fishing "the point". It will cast 8nbait with the best out there and it will handle 10nbait as well.

KMW, srg - I will put something together on the Rock and Match as soon as possible, right now I'm trying to get ready for tourney season.. 

As for the low rider guides, i have got to say I have always been a fan of either SIC or Alconite guides. I've never owned a rod with lowriders. The performance of this rod did impress me. Was it the low riders??? Was it just a great casting day?? It is hard to say but the numbers tell me there must be something to the lowrider concept.

Man that's a pretty rod... lol

Tommy


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

hey tommy. how do you always measure so accurately in yout vids.

i saw in your vid, with the shot with the line after your cast.

mine looks about a similar level, but i could never figure out how far i throw.


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

Laser Range finder,Notice the reflective Plate by the casting area


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

junkmansj is right. 2 years ago my wonderful wife (she truely is the better half .. ) surprised me with a rangefinder for a christmas present. It is a nice one, accurate to within 1 foot at 3000 feet. The reflective triangle makes it easy to shoot back from the sinker.

Tommy


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## Iceman (Jan 12, 2004)

Tommy, awesome video, some have commented you demoing the rock and match rod. Let me say that I hit the field today with the match rod in hand plus my tourney 5500 and reducer and managed to hit my all time personal best today. I will give in and say I had a nice tail wind, acutally more of a cross wind today so I know that helped but none the less I managed 673' with 125 gram sinker. Witness is accounted for and it was measured with a tape so I feel it was pretty accurate. Hope all's well and we will see you in a few weeks.

Ron


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

junkmansj said:


> Laser Range finder,Notice the reflective Plate by the casting area


i always thought that was just a car hazard triangle.......

hahahha


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Gorgeous work on that rod- I would have loved to get an up close look at it at the rod show.

Definitely a work of art.


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## big brother (May 15, 2002)

ya mean it casts farther than that white 15 foot wet noodle i gave you twenty years ago? LOL
BTW some of the other teachers here at school were looking at the video and they all commented on the "torque" of your cast.
charlie


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

big brother said:


> ya mean it casts farther than that white 15 foot wet noodle i gave you twenty years ago? LOL
> BTW some of the other teachers here at school were looking at the video and they all commented on the "torque" of your cast.
> charlie



The 15 footer was a classic...lol

Is "touque" a fancy collegiate word for fat boy power???



Tommy


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## Webmaster (Jun 13, 2005)

Tommy,
Thanks for testing the rod out, and thanks beyond words, for the video of the test.
I sure hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of the rod on the beach and I can’t wait to build one for myself.
Roy Allen
http://www.customrodsnreels.com


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

The wood on the rod is beautiful, Ive never seen it done before.
Kinda like a beautiful rifle stock.
Thank you for the video.


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## Webmaster (Jun 13, 2005)

The wood is 1/80” thick spiral wrapped veneer; cumulatively, it weighs about ½ of what cork does and the epoxy coatings grip very well even when wet and slimy during casting and pullage – never had a problem.


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

Webmaster said:


> The wood is 1/80” thick spiral wrapped veneer; cumulatively, it weighs about ½ of what cork does and the epoxy coatings grip very well even when wet and slimy during casting and pullage – never had a problem.


do you wrap that wet or is it thin enough to wrap dry?... where do you find the material... thinking that'd look good on my next rod...


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## Webmaster (Jun 13, 2005)

Some of the thicker veneers, say 1/40”, need to be soaked in a solution of water, alcohol, and glycerin for a day and then wrapped around something about the same size and left there for three or four days until they are dry. When you take them off they stay in a coil and are easy to apply to the rod blank; glued on with epoxy.
Some veneers, like the Lacewood veneers, one cannot condition, and one must be very, very careful with them because they are fragile ( virtually no actual grain ) and they break up all over the place. For these kinds of veneers, I put a double layer of masking tape on the top of the veneer and then apply them to the rod and then remove the masking tape after the epoxy has set up; this helps a little to keep them from breaking up.
After the veneer is epoxied on and all set up, I run a thread ( about the same color as the wood ), spiraled, right at the seems of the veneer to help hide the spiral seem; generally, one can barely even notice the seem.
When I’m applying the veneer to the rod I use thread wrapped atop the veneer to keep it tight to the rod blank - Regardless, it a awful stick mess and a half to get it done.
Roy


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

WebMaster I Bow to the Knowlage and Craftsmanship Exibited by that Rod! It is truly A classic Beauty. High Point has lost a absolutly Beautiful Example of the Rod Building Craft! I watched that video 5-6 times,That wood wrap is OUTSTANDING!


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## Webmaster (Jun 13, 2005)

Junkmansj,
Thank you very kindly, I’m honored.
What the Custom Rod Builders Exhibition really lost is the AFAW booth; the prize here is actually the AFAW rods – I’ve cast the 13’ Beach twice now and it’s much easier to load than my former rod/s and I’ve gotten seriously better distance from them. 
Roy


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

roy, i saw that rod in person yesterday, and it is insane. makes people go " ooh...ahh......"


EXTRORDINARY detail, looked awesome!


Jesse


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## Webmaster (Jun 13, 2005)

Jesse,
You're too kind, thanks.
Roy


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