Drennan Acolyte rods

[binka]

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Sorry to hear about the rod Nick, your pictures certainly seem to dispel the 'whippings on too tight' theory.

I would imagine that any over tight whippings certainly wouldn't help and could therefore cause a blank to fail at such a point but the underlying problem appears to be the blank itself.

 

[S-Kippy]

Good job Drennan makes fishing rods and not cars !

 

[sam vimes]

your pictures certainly seem to dispel the 'whippings on too tight' theory.

The tight whipping thing pertained only to the early 15' Acolyte Ultras.

 

[Julian Peacock]

What is an ‘early’ Ultra?

Seems to me that Drennan have got it right with both the rod and the generally no quibble returns. A rod without varnish is both lighter to handle and of course, cheaper to produce. This must mean a healthy margin and allows them to replace any broken sections.....

 

[sam vimes]

What is an ‘early’ Ultra?

The initial batch of 15' Acolyte Ultras.

 

[Richox12]

It was a Compact. So in a padded sleeve, folded tip to butt and held by straps ?? So is not not just possible that it was knocked in store (on the display rack, demo by shop ?), warehouse, etc or badly wrapped by the straps ? That part of the tip being pressed into the reel seat or something ? The break looks as if it's in the right position. Just because it's snapped doesn't mean it is actually anything to do with the materials or build of the rod.

I don't get this pulling the rod tip 'round' to check the line. I've seen some bend the tip almost 180 degrees which is madness (I understand that is not the case here). When I thread line I hardly pull the rod at all and I mean HARDLY - a few degrees at most just to make sure i've not been an idiot and missed a guide. The only thing which happens after threading in my experience is that the line might get wrapped around a guide on the tip and so I check for that and rotate the rod accordingly before giving line (bail arm open not off the clutch) and setting up.

 

[nottskev]

I hope you get the outcome you want, whether that's a replacement or the chance to buy something less problematic.

I was bought a pair of shoes as a child which disintegrated far too quickly.
I was with my dad in the shop when he took them back and the smarmy manager inspected them and declared "You've been wearing these!".
The next 5 minutes were great entertainment, for me and the other customers in the shop, and ended in a full refund.

 

[fishcatcher60]

A good few years ago i was in a tackle shop and a fella fetched his new pole back with 2 sections stuck together and the assistant with the help of others tried to separate the sections but failed.
The assistant then said to the fella "have you been using it in the rain" to which the fella replied "it's fu##ing winter what do you think".
It still makes me smile now.

 

[tigger]

It was a Compact. So in a padded sleeve, folded tip to butt and held by straps ?? So is not not just possible that it was knocked in store (on the display rack, demo by shop ?), warehouse, etc or badly wrapped by the straps ? That part of the tip being pressed into the reel seat or something ? The break looks as if it's in the right position. Just because it's snapped doesn't mean it is actually anything to do with the materials or build of the rod.

I don't get this pulling the rod tip 'round' to check the line. I've seen some bend the tip almost 180 degrees which is madness (I understand that is not the case here). When I thread line I hardly pull the rod at all and I mean HARDLY - a few degrees at most just to make sure i've not been an idiot and missed a guide. The only thing which happens after threading in my experience is that the line might get wrapped around a guide on the tip and so I check for that and rotate the rod accordingly before giving line (bail arm open not off the clutch) and setting up.

Some of those thoughts went through my mind also. People strap rods together really tight and you can see the tip section actually bending away from the other sections because it's under so much pressure. That can't be good for the blank over a short period let akone hours, days or weeks etc. That is one reason that I never leave my rods made up. I know some people do and they have no problems but i'd rather not. If I do make a rod up the day before I go I leave it loose on the ground and only strap it together before going out and then I strap thw rods so the blanks arn't under pressure that could weaken a spot in them.
I've had six different accy rods and still have 5 (swapped one for another with someon) and I have had them bent round to what must have been near breaking point lots of times and they're fine.....fingers crossed i've not jinxed myself after saying that!
Couriers throw everything round so god knows how many rods are unmarked but have damage in the shops.

 

[nicholaslukey]

Nowhere did I say the tip was bent round to check the line !

As to your other points, possibility of that occuring for sure, I don't know where it was or how its been treated, I bought it online and it was sent in a tube, which cannot be crushed even if parked my 13 stone on it.
Who knows? Many years ago I bought a pair of carp rods one of the first carbon ones, it was a conoflex blank, my first cast saw it disintegrate in a shower of carbon, the other rod lasted me several years and was much abused.

 

[Philip]

Many years ago I bought a pair of carp rods one of the first carbon ones, it was a conoflex blank, my first cast saw it disintegrate in a shower of carbon, the other rod lasted me several years and was much abused.

I had an early conoflex Carp rod snap at the butt in a shower of Carbon splinters while playing a fish, although it was after many years of use...still annoying when it happened, plus trying to play a fish off a rod handle is not the best...

Not that I know a great deal on these matters but the type of damage that Keith for example describes i.e parrallel splits along a length of blank I would associate more with damage by being crushed than being bent.

I stood on a couple of rods by accident and thats exactly the kid of damage that happened to the blank. Of course not suggesting anyone stood on the blank...just that if its so wafer thin than basically any sort of pressure agaisnt the wall of the blank could cause it to collapse.

I just think some of them are made just to fragile. I'd be happy to trade some more weight for a bit more robustness but of course its a personal thing.

 

[davebhoy]

The only other rod in can remember breaking other than through my own clumsy stupidity was a 1 3/4 tc north western carbon carp rod, custom made with a full cork handle and it broke in the way you describe - parallel splits - but at the bottom section when I hooked into a decent carp when I was as fkoatfishing in the margins

 

[Keith M]

In normal use; If you have to treat a rod with kid gloves and be frightened to bend it too much while you are using it then to me it’s just not fit for purpose it’s as simple as that (unless it has been hit by a branch or trod on or something similar). A rod is just a tool that’s meant to be used, and certainly not mollycoddled in any way.

However when not fishing I agree that it should be well looked after.

NB: by ‘in normal use’ I mean used with sensible line ratings and casting weights

 

[ian g]

Seems mad that anglers are ending up with tackle they're wary to use, I have an Acolyte carp waggler , landed a few tench on it with no problems , it handles really nicely but there is always a nagging doubt in my mid

 

[barbelboi]

My Ultra must be the odd one out then - it's handled everything thrown at it without a problem on the river and pond including carp to 15.10 while crucian fishing and chub to 6+ trotting.................Oh, almost forgot, some very lively spotted roach on the LIF.........

If I didn't have full confidence in a rod I wouldn't use the thing..................

 

[sam vimes]

My Ultra must be the odd one out then - it's handled everything thrown at it without a problem on the river and pond including carp to 15.10 while crucian fishing and chub to 6+ trotting.................Oh, almost forgot, some very lively spotted roach on the LIF.........

If I didn't have full confidence in a rod I wouldn't use the thing..................

Not at all, I have six Acolyte float rods, three of which are Ultras. Whilst I wouldn't use an Ultra if I was specifically going after barbel or carp, I've had no issues landing chub and tench over 5lb, and the odd rogue double figure carp, when fishing for smaller fish. I've got plenty of rods to choose from, but I often choose to use Acolytes. If I thought they were going to be a problem, I wouldn't. I still feel that a part of the issue is that some choose an Ultra when a Plus would be the better choice for the fishing they do. The Plus is a far better allround choice for those that won't contemplate multiple rods for different scenarios. The Ultra only makes much sense if you are like me and spend a fair amount of time fishing for species which are rarely much bigger than a couple of pounds

(or on venues where the fish rarely exceed a couple of pounds)​

.

 

[binka]

I still feel that a part of the issue is that some choose an Ultra when a Plus would be the better choice for the fishing they do.

To be fair Chris I've often wondered if rod choice has been anything to do with the numerous reports of breakages but the thing is I've not really heard of any reports of blanks failing under fish pressure, always as Nick and Keith (and no doubt countless others) have stated such as ringing up or general inspection/use of the rod.

I think I may have read of one report in a different thread of an Acolyte failing under the strain of a relatively small fish which should have been well within the rod's capabilities?

To be honest if a blank gave way after a good workout, or even an overly good workout beyond it's intended purpose but then gave way at a later stage I would be highly suspicious of the quality of the blank... Mine have all gone way beyond their intended purpose but remain as good as day one.

You can brand them Ulltra and Plus or Specialist and Specimen but I wouldn't accept it... We all hook fish beyond the general capabilities of the rod and I would expect to land them without any current (or future) adverse affect to the blank.

I still reckon there is inconsistency in the manufacturing process, possibly because the tolerances have become so fine in order to gain an edge and market positioning, and that some people are paying the price in failed blanks irrespective of Drennan's reactions after the event.

Acolytes are imo a lottery as far as I'm concerned and there's no bias there, Drennan would be my first point of call should the unthinkable happen but there's clearly something wrong with these on the whole.

Would I take a punt on one?

Probably...

But only if it came with a return label.

 

[S-Kippy]

I still reckon there is inconsistency in the manufacturing process, possibly because the tolerances have become so fine in order to gain an edge and market positioning, and that some people are paying the price in failed blanks irrespective of Drennan's reactions after the event.

Acolytes are imo a lottery as far as I'm concerned and there's no bias there, Drennan would be my first point of call should the unthinkable happen but there's clearly something wrong with these on the whole.

I totally agree. Too many of these bloody things have self destructed for there not to be some fundamental flaw in the design, manufacture or quality control involved. Some people have clearly been lucky but too many others have not. As I said earlier I cannot think of any other rod ever that has earned itself such a dreadful reputation.

I am a bit surprised that Drennan arent a little more concerned about the reputational damage this must be doing.....mind you despite everything we seem to keep buying them which begs the question who is the mug ?

 

[binka]

I am a bit surprised that Drennan arent a little more concerned about the reputational damage this must be doing.....mind you despite everything we seem to keep buying them which begs the question who is the mug ?

I think it's the case of the relatively new phrase that goes something along the lines of...

'There's no such thing as bad publicity'.

Trouble with that is there are, even in my relatively young years, a fair few 'old boys' around and many of which are the target market who will in turn dismiss the phrase as complete bollox.

We read about those who buy but how many are put off, do they post?

This thread alone (and it's not the only one on here, let alone other fora) has seen 3k views.

 

[Mark Wintle]

As a Daiwa/Normark/Tricast/Carbotec/Bruce and Walker fan I have looked at Drennan match rods many times over the years and even fished with one one day when someone lent it to me and whilst they've always seemed decent rods I've never felt 'WOW'! with them. About three years ago one of my local tackle dealers pressed an Acolyte into my hand and encouraged me to buy it but I was still not impressed enough even if it was the lightest rod I've handled and seeing someone play a 5lb carp on one confirmed my beliefs. the latest quality issue means I won't be tempted in the future. The rods I own do the jobs I require of them.