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Normark float rods

Richard Isaacs

Richard Isaacs

Senior Member & Supporter
Treated myself last week to a beautiful new normark avenger 3000.
It’s the 5th normark I’ve owned now and 1 of 3 that I currently own.

What a great feeling rod this is. Looking forward to getting her hooped over at 15ft into some big G Ouse and nene chub.

Feels sooooooo great even at 15ft. Much nicer than my Titan2000 does at 15ft.
Must be down to the fact that all 3000’s were built and designed to fish at 13-15 and came with sections that were actually built with the rods.

The 2000 section is a separate build and added as an extra option.

Anyway…… wow!!! I love it. What an action, what a tip. Fantastic!!! Top quality!!!!
I’m a user not a collector. This bad boy is gonna take one for the team when I get them Nene chub queing up for dinner. 😎
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Still got the tip ring I see, will you be changing it for an anti frap one Rich ?? ;)

I have a friend who worked in Geoff Salisbury's shop back when Geoff worked with Normark. He travelled with Geoff to matches all over the country. He has one of the prototype Titans that Geoff gave him. Completely bare blank, but unmistakably a Normark rod. I've tried to twist his arm many a time to see if he'll let me buy it, but to his credit, he won't budge. Fair play as well.
 
Simon Archer said:
Still got the tip ring I see, will you be changing it for an anti frap one Rich ?? ;)

I have a friend who worked in Geoff Salisbury's shop back when Geoff worked with Normark. He travelled with Geoff to matches all over the country. He has one of the prototype Titans that Geoff gave him. Completely bare blank, but unmistakably a Normark rod. I've tried to twist his arm many a time to see if he'll let me buy it, but to his credit, he won't budge. Fair play as well.
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I won’t be changing it Simon I get on with those leg less Ti guides just fine.
I do put a tiny dot of epoxy round the entry point of the tip guide just to seal them better but that’s it. I Leave them well alone
Tip breakages……. Rarely happened in the 90’s when these rods were being bought and used for what they were intended for ( River work) gently flicking sticks n top n bottom floats out.
Nowadays you read loads of cringing stuff like people lobbing out pellet wags with em and targeting carp on commercials. It’s No bloody wonder that half the population of the 1000/2000/3000 fast tip river rods are Knackered now. 🤦‍♂️
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I think the mk11’s original and newer version were newer Dave?
This is 1999 rod I believe
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You're right Richard, rarely see the MkII's not to be confused with the Masterline revamped MkII's later still.

Never had my hands on a Normark MkII but had a few previous models.
 
Dave Durrant said:
You're right Richard, rarely see the MkII's not to be confused with the Masterline revamped MkII's later still.

Never had my hands on a Normark MkII but had a few previous models.
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Likewise Dave I’ve also never had a mk11 original or later.
The originals I’ve heard are very nice rods indeed. Bit slower and more “hardy” in the tip than the 000series rods I think. You don’t hear of breakages about them.
 
Dave Durrant said:
Never had my hands on a Carbotec, GS's follow up to the Normarks. Have you Richard?
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No never.
Never even seen one let alone touched one.
I have read a bit about them and they sound like awesome amazing things.
I’d quite like to try out a 15ft no2 with the fast tip option. That sounds like a rod I could fall in love with very quickly
 
Is that the new ones they are releasing this week Kev.


I think it will be early in the season. I was due to test the prototypes late summer but they couldn't get the rings out of China. 14, 15, 17 ft power floats. They do look the business and the blank looks marginally fatter the the original.
 
Kevin Stephenson said:
Is that the new ones they are releasing this week Kev.


I think it will be early in the season. I was due to test the prototypes late summer but they couldn't get the rings out of China. 14, 15, 17 ft power floats. They do look the business and the blank looks marginally fatter the the original.
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Free Spirit Hi-S 14ft Special Power Float Rod

The Hi-‘S’ Special Power Float 13’ and the new Hi-‘S’ Special Power Float 14’ are great all-rounders, at home when targeting species in lakes and rivers, for quarry such as Tench, Bream and Crucians or Chub, Barbel and Grayling. Suitable for fishing the stick at close ranges and the waggler and...
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Unfortunately, not full cork handle any more.

Built with ‘A’ grade full rear cork handles and an EVA butt grip, a Fuji lock down seat and front screw down EVA and furnished with a combination of double and single leg ‘S’-Lite high stand-off guides to keep the line from ‘sticking’ to the blank when trotting. We have removed the stainless steel for these revised builds to further reduce the weight of the rod by between 12% to nearly 20% over the previous design.
 
Kevin Stephenson said:
Is that the new ones they are releasing this week Kev.


I think it will be early in the season. I was due to test the prototypes late summer but they couldn't get the rings out of China. 14, 15, 17 ft power floats. They do look the business and the blank looks marginally fatter the the original.
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Chinese rings, sacrificing cork for Eva, fatter blanks.

Your not selling it to me Kev 🤣
I have an original version and tbh I don’t particularly like the rings on that either. Probably out of China aswell. Bloody free spirit cheap skates. 🤣

12-20% weight saving. Now is that on the guides (afew grams and probably unnoticeable) or on the complete rod. (Huge difference). I’d imagine the former on that one but it’s not clear
 
Chinese rings, sacrificing cork for Eva, fatter blanks.



Your not selling it to me Kev 

I have an original version and tbh I don’t particularly like the rings on that either. Probably out of China aswell. Bloody free spirit cheap skates. 



12-20% weight saving. Now is that on the guides (afew grams and probably unnoticeable) or on the complete rod. (Huge difference). I’d imagine the former on that one but it’s not clear
 
I am surprised they launched them early. My free spirits are made up by Roger Hurst who makes the high end bespoke stuff for Freespirit. So I go for better rings and reel seats anyway. Have they published the prices?
 
Kevin Stephenson said:
I am surprised they launched them early. My free spirits are made up by Roger Hurst who makes the high end bespoke stuff for Freespirit. So I go for better rings and reel seats anyway. Have they published the prices?
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Roger built mine too. Think it’s just standard spec though not sure. It was his very last original blank that he’d put aside for a rainy day for himself. Very kind guy indeed said I was welcome to have it.
Rings are ok but if I was to specifically chose, I’d have the Fuji high stand offs like on the diawas.

I’m very intrigued to know what the 17footers are like regarding balance vs performance vs power.
It would be quite a special rod if they got that bad boy nailed on I think
 
Kevin Stephenson said:
I am surprised they launched them early. My free spirits are made up by Roger Hurst who makes the high end bespoke stuff for Freespirit. So I go for better rings and reel seats anyway. Have they published the prices?
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Yes prices in walker’s released
£425 for the 15 and 500 quid for the 17.
Big money. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on them.
 
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