I picked up a Shakespeare conventional ultra cheap this weekend and stuck it on a 9 foot surf rod not expecting very much.
Walked down to the neighborhood pond to test cast w/ a 3 oz weight. First cast OVER THE POND!!!!! about 80+ yards
Moved to be able to throw over the ponds longest diagonal; second cast....
OVER THE POND!!!!!!!!! about 120 yards.
At this point I'm impressed. I'm not putting much power into the cast and I'm out of room.
Grabbed my 12 year old boy who had NEVER casted a conventional in his life. Spent a couple of minutes explaining the mechanics and turned him loose.
1st cast >60 yards and a HUGE Don King. spent a little while clearing the blow up, reminded him to use his thumb to control the spool.
2nd cast OVER the short side of the pond.....time to move

3rd cast ~90 yds
4th cast ~90 yds
5th cast over 100 yds
6th cast he felt it getting away and thumbed it back under control....still over 100 yds.
By now the boy is grinning from ear to ear. He doesn't like fishing all that much, but the kids loves to sling weight for distance.
I've got to find a big practice area and see what he can do.
opcorn:
Walked down to the neighborhood pond to test cast w/ a 3 oz weight. First cast OVER THE POND!!!!! about 80+ yards
Moved to be able to throw over the ponds longest diagonal; second cast....
OVER THE POND!!!!!!!!! about 120 yards.
At this point I'm impressed. I'm not putting much power into the cast and I'm out of room.
Grabbed my 12 year old boy who had NEVER casted a conventional in his life. Spent a couple of minutes explaining the mechanics and turned him loose.
1st cast >60 yards and a HUGE Don King. spent a little while clearing the blow up, reminded him to use his thumb to control the spool.
2nd cast OVER the short side of the pond.....time to move
3rd cast ~90 yds
4th cast ~90 yds
5th cast over 100 yds
6th cast he felt it getting away and thumbed it back under control....still over 100 yds.
By now the boy is grinning from ear to ear. He doesn't like fishing all that much, but the kids loves to sling weight for distance.
I've got to find a big practice area and see what he can do.