Pacemakers and Balsas

[DaceAce]

Ivan Marks designed the Pacemaker for a winter league final in the very early 70s on the Cork Blackwater. I can't remember whether it was because Leicester AS were in the final or whether they were for someone else fishing the venue. The final was probably on the Fermoy stretch where some pegs were in a deep stretch with a long cast. It was dace and roach fishing. Nowadays people would use a 'Topper' with styrofoam body as it casts better but they were practically unknown then as Topper kept them to himself or for a few locals. After that final Ivan realised that the float worked well and made them in smaller sizes, the original being a 5AAA pattern, to use on the Severn, and by 1972 they were called 'Severn Specials'. A couple of years later Ivan's floats were made commercially by Gerry Woodcock and renamed 'Pacemakers'. The float was designed to used with small baits like maggots or casters, and was one of my favourites in the mid to late 70s. Still got a few that I use from time to time.

The shotting pattern is much heavier than a stick float and the float is designed for more rugged conditions.

[CWK]

Ivan Marks designed the Pacemaker for a winter league final in the very early 70s on the Cork Blackwater. I can't remember whether it was because Leicester AS were in the final or whether they were for someone else fishing the venue. The final was probably on the Fermoy stretch where some pegs were in a deep stretch with a long cast. It was dace and roach fishing. Nowadays people would use a 'Topper' with styrofoam body as it casts better but they were practically unknown then as Topper kept them to himself or for a few locals. After that final Ivan realised that the float worked well and made them in smaller sizes, the original being a 5AAA pattern, to use on the Severn, and by 1972 they were called 'Severn Specials'. A couple of years later Ivan's floats were made commercially by Gerry Woodcock and renamed 'Pacemakers'. The float was designed to used with small baits like maggots or casters, and was one of my favourites in the mid to late 70s. Still got a few that I use from time to time.

The shotting pattern is much heavier than a stick float and the float is designed for more rugged conditions.

Thanks for your invaluable contribution and knowledge DaceAce . The Pacemaker in your picture above is precisely the design that I'm looking for . No doubt one could use a " Topper " but I think the Pacemaker is a more durable and sensitive design .

[Santiago]

Thanks for the info chaps. Just occured to me the smaller one looks like a modern 'Loafer'!

[Nobby]

It's interesting how so many running water floats look like stillwater floats upside down and how many running water floats are just elongated or stretched versions of one another.


Stretch that Pacemaker and you have any number of 'stick' float shapes, though without the shoulder, it must be said, .... squash that 'balsa' and you do indeed have a Drennan Loafer, which was once called a Chubber, I believe?

[DaceAce]

I've found more in the range (still missing a couple of the smallest sizes). The shape changes to a slimmer profile at the 4AAA size and downwards. Gerry Woodcock originally did these floats as 'Kevin Ashurst' floats circa 1972, changing to 'Ivan Marks' in about 1973; I've also got 2mm antenna floats and sticks in both KA and IM incarnations. The big difference with stick floats compared to Pacemakers is that the balance of the float is vital; just adding a cane stem to a balsa doesn't necessarily make it a stick even if it is OK for trotting. The search for the perfect stem material was a long one though John Dean got closest with plastic paintbrush handles.

[Nobby]

I've got a John Dean float...a 'Swinger' it's a chubby little....well, ...chubber, I suppose?

[Mark]

Here is a scan from the book 'Ivan Marks on Match Fishing'.

(Click the picture to enlarge it and then click the + in the top left hand corner to enlarge it further)

[Nobby]

Thanks Mark...horse's mouth and all that.

[DaceAce]

The attached was written a couple of years before the book in Angling Times almost exactly 40 years ago. The test of a stick (not wire stem or alloy stem) can be done two ways: either hold it like a dart, cane/lignum end forwards and throw like a dart - should flight 15 yards without stalling or diving or wobbling - if it does any of those it's no good; or put it on the line with the usual double-rubber but no shot with 2lb line and fixed spool reel and it should cast, again no diving stalling or wobbling, at least 15 yards. When your sticks do that you have floats that perform incredibly well, and you have the secret of the John Dean nylon stem sticks. This test is a vital one for making stick floats. Interestingly the same article says the only reason for the cane insert on Pacemakers was to avoid breaking the base of teh float.

stick1.jpg

stick 2.jpg

[Nobby]

I'm afraid I find the suggestion of baring the cane to let it soak up water absurd.


The same effect would be achieved by putting a number 4 shot next to the float which is hardly going to affect the aerodynamics at all.


You might just as well have a lignum base to the float in the first place and not let it rot.

There certainly is some 'interesting' ideas broached when it comes to floats