Application of power

Walter & Group:

 

 

Hi Gordy & group,

 

                             Since it is no longer considered accurate to use the term ACCELERATED ACCELERATION  to a stop. How then exactly would you describe the proper power application of a normal casting stroke for a basic cast? Would it now be accurate to describe it as; - TENSION (LOADING MOVE), CONSTANT ACCELERATION TO A POSITIVE STOP? We are still including a loading move, are we not?

 

Thank you,

 

Bob Rumpf

 

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Bob.....

 

I agree with your statement/question, above.  Some explanation is due, however.

 

In describing the, "anatomy" of a fly cast, I like to use Joan Wulff's terms including LOADING MOVE, POWER SNAP, DRIFT (WHERE APPLICABLE) FOR THE BACK CAST, AND LOADING MOVE, POWER SNAP AND FOLLOWTHROUGH FOR THE FORWARD DELIVERY CAST.

 

Some other casting, "gurus" don't see it exactly that way.  There are those who prefer not to have a sense of division between two separate moves such as the LOADING MOVE and the POWER SNAP.  Most of these folks prefer to look at it as constant acceleration to a stop during which the rod IS loaded.  Floyd Franke, while using Joan's terminology, has described the application of power as, "TENSION, ACCELERATION, and STOP.

 

Lefty and Ed Joworowski, have talked and written about it in terms of the, "SPEED-UP-AND-STOP"

 

As you can see with the many Group notes on the subject , Bruce Richards has gone a step further with information gained by the study of casts using the, "Casting Analyzer".  He has noted the first part of the cast as mostly translational movement mainly used to take up slack, and the second part of the stroke as the rotational phase.  It is this rotational phase that moves the rod tip through the greatest distance and with greatest acceleration resulting in maximum rod tip speed just prior to RSP.

 

Each of these experts is correct, as I look at it.  I see the loading of the rod starting very soon after distinct acceleration in the direction of the cast whether it is during the translational phase or the rotational phase.  Prior to RSP, I see the smooth acceleration leading to maximum rod tip speed as part of the, "power shap" or "speed-up-and-stop".

 

I cannot oversimplify by saying, "the translational phase is the same as the loading move" because this would be incorrect in that significant loading of the rod goes on during the rotational phase.  In some short casts, there may be precious little translational phase at all....yet the rod is loaded.

 

Does one absolutely have to have a loading move ?  The answer is yes, for most casts.  We can, however, make a short cast with a rod so stiff that it is essentially a broom stick.  It won't bend.  Since bending the rod is loading it, we have no load. "the exception which proves the rule".

 

These things overlap.  The core, however, in my mind, is the need for constant smooth acceleration to the most positive stop the caster is capable of achieving.

 

Reminds me of the story of the three blind men describing the elephant.  There, the, "core" is the elephant in its entirety !

 

Gordy