When you break it, it’s gonna take a long…long…long…time to get it replaced. I’m at two months right now and no ETA in site.
I’m not too bent about it, that’s the way it goes with alot of high end Italian products in my somewhat limited experience. Saeco esspresso machines, Campagnolo bicycle wheelsets, and now Gatti flyrods. Ultimate performance at the sacrifice of all else.
And I’ve got plenty of other good rods to use. I just miss her…
Ah I had no idea that you were a Campy man Jackster. It does indeed get better with use. When the “other” is wearing out, the Campy stuff is just hitting it’s stride. Great, GREAT stuff. Just don’t break it
Similarly, the Gatti has improved with age as well. More seriously, the evolution has taken place within myself, when I first cast the rod it was, well, nothing to complain about but I didnt’ feel the magic. I put it down for a few months, then picked it back up this season and YOWZA was that thing a beaut…just dont’ break it;(
How did it break? Design flaw, accident? I plan on buying one but this may sway my purchasing. I dont want a rod thats going to snap the first tug I pull on it.
Ah feel your pain. My Gatti was just snapped a week or so ago. The fella I loaned it to was surprised to find that you can’t pull on the line and support the full weight of the rod and reel by holding the tip section. I wasn’t.
Come to think of it, it’s the downside of really really loving any inanimate object. I’d had my “vintage” Porsche for one year when the engine went. That hurt me baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.
[This message has been edited by flyangler (edited 14 June 2005).]
To be honest, I have no idea how it broke. Most likely I roll cast the tip into a branch. I do that alot when I switch from bigger water to small streams where there’s alot less room. I broke a Sage last year doing exactly this sort of thing and this failure was in a very similar place. Basically, I didn’t even know the rod was broken, but it sure was casting funny. Just couldn’t seem to shoot any line. I looked closer and found that the very tip, along with the tip top guide, was just gone. I expected to find that it had slid down the line/leader and was now stopped at the fly I was using, but nope, just gone…odd. As if it evaportated.
TimS, I don’t say this stop you from buying a Gatti. Just be aware of this sort of thing. I had really been enjoying the rod since I picked it back up, it fires the line when you want it to yet small fish put a suprisingly big bend in her. And it’s ridiculously light. All in all, great stuff. And I don’t feel they’re overly expensive, relative to the performance vs some other manufacturers. But know that you’ll need a back up if you happen to break it.
That’s one of the reasons, my “teaching” stuff is all (sadly) “import” stuff. On a particularily sad weekend, the group busted 3 rods (all honest accidents).
I simply bring 'em back to the dealer, and he gives me brand new ones on the spot. (any dealer in any region of the province, … not just my homewater dealer). Same thing for the waders.