Recently, I have noticed more questions about building rods with solid fiberglass blanks. I didn't believe anyone still mad the blanks let alone made rods with them!
Why would a fisherman or builder suggest a heavy, restrictive solid fiberglass blanks for a rod over the newer, lighter "E"glass, "S"glass, or graphite composite blanks?
Is there an advantage to solid fiberglass?
Thanks for your comments!

Chef Jim,

I have posted questions about building solid glass rods on this site. As to the reason I am building them is because my client has asked specifically for them. He runs a halibut charter boat out of Homer, Alaska and was using 5' 6" Penn Standup Slammers. I am building these solid glass rods to the same size specifications as the Penn rods with slick butt, long foregrip, overall length, etc.

His customers (the majority of them inexperienced as fishermen and just because they are on vacation are booking halibut trips) and also because of other nautical reasons (i.e. 2 to 4 lb. sinkers, rough weather, horsing up heavy fish, getting abused by reeling up heavy fish while rod is resting on the edge of the boat, customers dropping the entire rig overboard, etc.) he was losing at least 6 to 9 rods a year. Penn had been replacing them for him free of charge. I can't speak if Penn has changed their policy on replacements, but they have stopped his free replacements.

His thought was if he switched to solid glass blanks they would stand the abuse better. I don't kow if it will work, but, on the bright side he gets the name of his charter business on the rods. I cannot speak from a position of experience if these rods will deliever what he wants as indestructable, but, he thinks it will and is going to give it a try. Just giving the customer what he wants. Hope this may help in some manner.

As far as their manufacture, Rainshadow Blanks has excellent solid glass blanks to choose from. I recommend them if you would want to try one.

Thanks
Tony

Shakespeare and St. Croix still make solid fiberglass blanks too, I think.

CustomTackleSupply advertizes them, they are pretty affordable.

Have been building rods with solid fiberglass for many years.

They are strong, durable (dang near indestructable) and CHEAP!. You can wrap them tight as you wish even to the point of breaking E thread.

You can build a set of boat rods for 1/3 the cost of hollow blanks. Bored wood butts and aluminum butts that fit the blanks with no reaming are available.

Albiet heavy, they make fine two-piece surf rods.

St. Croix blanks are painted, can only get in white now I believe. Shakespeare's are bare fiberglass that you have to finish, paint, clear, etc.

Could probably think of a dozen more reasons but sinuses are acting up.

The "Rainshadow" and "Forecast" solid glass blanks are availalbe in black only, and are individually bagged.

Another good use for solid fiberglass is in med. heavy ice fishing rods.

The best reason for solid fiberglass, as Jim points out, being obsolete for most other situations is the heavy weight.

E-Glass would be a good first or second choice for the heavier rods to solid fiberglass.

my 2 cents

Hi Jim-

Since solid blanks are not tubular, they won't ovalize (in cross section) when the blank is flexed deeply. If you take a drinking straw and bend it slightly, it will ovalize slightly before it kinks at that bent spot. Tubular blanks do the same thing when bent- just hard to see- until the blank snaps. Solid glass is very resistant to those same forces due to the difference in construction. The price?

Weight, weight and more weight. But they more than make up for it in the durability and cost area!

Tom

Jim: I agree with Tony on the use for solid fiberglas. I have built for Charter Captains on the Chesapeake Bay. They like them because they will withstand the hard use they get from their partys.During a fishing trip, if things get kind of frantic, customers will throw the rods against the gunwales and a tubular blank just won't take that kind of abuse. Yes, they are heavier, but for the occasional fisherman, weight doesn't seem to matter. John

pics or specs of their solid blanks. Anybody have them up on a website? If they look as good as the regular blanks, I will make a change.

Tony,
So California has one of the most prolific sport fishing industries on the West Coast. Anywhere from 1/2 day boats to 18 days, these sport boats all utilize their "rent rod" almost 365 days a year and they are all tubular fiberglass rods. The rods you can rent, be it for 12" Calico Bass to 100 fathom Rock Codding to 200#Yellowfin Tuna are the lighter, durable tubular fiberglass rods. I still can't see using a rod that weighs a couple of pounds, rent rod or not, versus one that is half the weight or more. Maybe good for the skipper, certainly not for the fisherman.
Just my opinion. . .
Aloha,
Jim

Lots of reasons given Chef. Everyone has preferences and budgets. Solid glass rods have their place. I have been building them and using them for many years. Whatever floats one's boat!

Mike, I guess you're right. To think, I've thrown out dozens of solid glass rods thinking them antiquated! Sheesh! I coulda made some extra money shipping 'em back East! No wonder Calstar, Seeker, Graphite USA and Gloomis are just popular in the West Coast.
I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Jim,

If nothing else you could have used them for reamer stock. It seems a shame, but considering the cost I have often purchased them for just that purpose. One 5 or 6 foot solid glass blank can be cut into 4 or 5 progressively tapered reamers. Pretty inexpensive when you consider it'll supply you with a full seat of reamers.

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I'll take all that you don't want. If nothing else they also make good mater stakes.