Who are Century?

Century has produced fine rods in England for over 40 years. A passion for fishing is about escape. To change the routines and stresses of everyday life into the thrill of the environment, brimming with anticipation. Becoming one with yourself and your surroundings.

Century is committed to environmental care in everything it does. We are the first rod company in the World to secure the internationally accepted standard for environmental care – ISO14001. Tough – independently audited systems ensure that we protect the environment in making our products. We do not pay lip service to the environment – we say what we do, do what we say, prove it and improve it.

Our manufacturing processes are demanded by leading anglers, World Champions, leading aerospace companies and Formula 1 teams. We are performance driven.

Simon Chilcott, who founded the Company, has always focused on the importance of understanding technology and where it meets the water.

Danny Moeskops from Belgium – World Casting Champion for the past 15 years using Century rods – is a passionate sea angler and has profoundly influenced Century’s designs. His quiet and thoughtful approach has generated many improvements. His reputation in casting is legendary and Century is proud to be associated with him.

The Technology which makes them so good...

Century has worked at the leading edge of rod design technology and holds the official records for the World’s longest casts. All over 300 yards on our surf rod ranges. This is important because it is only by exploring the very extremes of composite technology that really useful benefits can be incorporated in our mainstream rods. We have learnt both in combination with our tournament work and field testing that there are ways of making rods decidedly better.

One such way is to improve one of the most important stages in the building of a rod blank – the cure process. Traditionally rod blanks are cured in ovens to solidify the resin matrix. However oven curing inevitably leads to air being trapped inside the wall of the rod. This can cause the rod to loose its test curve/action prematurely and soften after a relatively short period of use. The Century Autoclave Technology process delivers the following advantages over oven cured carbon composites:

• The air trapped in the wall of an autoclave-cured rod is reabsorbed back into solution in the resin. The science behind this is simply – Henry’s Law. The result is a near void free wall and the rod will retain its original action much longer. The rod will also withstand the rigours of hard fighting fish and long range casts better as a result of an autoclave cure cycle. The composite structure is denser and stronger.
• The feel of the rod is crisper and inevitably for the same amount of carbon fibre used in an oven-cured rod – it is slimmer. The carbon has been compacted down under enormous pressure during the autoclave cure process.
• The resin matrix content of the rod can be precisely controlled – to produce the perfect optimum. This reduces weight and improves the performance.

You simply couldn’t get a modern leading Formula I team or an aerospace company to truly consider a structural carbon composite unless it had been autoclaved. You might hear folk talk about the latest “aerospace carbon fibre” but that’s only half the story unless it’s properly processed. The benefits of Autoclave Technology are remarkable and to the best of our knowledge unique in sea rods. All this pioneering work has been proven and validated and as our consultants are the most demanding and critical, we know you will enjoy the quantum leap forward in rod technology.

Century uses the most modern rod building equipment available and our factory facility in the UK provides life critical structures to other performance industries in motorsport, space and aerospace. We understand the materials we use and how to apply them to sophisticated structures like a modern sea rod. Our pattern cutting machine produces extremely accurate profiles that we integrate into our designs and our AT-T (Anti Twist Technology) resists high torsional loads. We also ensure that carbon fibre alignment is closely controlled and orientated to give optimum performance and this delivers considerable structural benefits in rod action.

Century has a constant dialogue with the world’s leading manufacturers of advanced fibres and resin systems. We select and refine the best combinations to enhance the performance of our rods. Century’s new resin formula called HPR – gives added toughness and lightning quick tip recovery to selected rods in the range.

The Ranges

 

The 3rd generation of Tip Tornado Graphex rods captures the best of the past and brings new and defined benefits commensurate with advances in manufacturing and material technology. Graphex technology is a bespoke combination of the resin matrix and Graphene to benefit the rods; durability, distance, tracking, sensitivity, dampening recovery to neutral and weight saving.

 

The Eliminator T series has gained traction amongst specialist anglers who are looking for modern technology and high performance. The T1000 and T1200 have demonstrated long range capability, feel and exemplary capability with both fixed spool and multiplier reels. The T900 and T800 both feature Century’s STF technology and also benefit from extensive use of high tensile S-2 super glass in the tip sections. The T700 uses the latest Graphene Technology to produce lighter easier to use rods

 

 

The Excalibur range comprises 3 distinct models and all feature the most advanced materials and processing technology ever used in a high performance surfcaster. A significant reduction in tip weight delivers increased performance and enhanced sensitivity whilst new methods of blending carbon fibre enhances energy storage and consequent release into tip speed. The recovery in the tip is very fast to allow smooth line flow between guides. All models have been evaluated over a full season on demanding venues and have delivered quantified results and success.

 

Century Excalibur Braid rods have been specifically designed to complement the unique advantage of braid. The length, phased action and low down grunt thanks to Century’s unique combination of carbon, resin systems and manufacturing processes will handle the lightest bass to toughest conger or tope.

 

An entry level shore rod to the well-established Century family of top end, high performance beach casters. Designed and manufactured in UK.

 

There have probably been more 300 yard recognised and officiated casts on TT-R than any other rod ever made. The TT-R has been used to create all the official World distance casting records on 100gram, 125gram, 150gram and 175 gram. A superb rough ground fishing rod used by competition anglers to win numerous big match results. Improved and refined over many years of experience and design feedback featuring AT-T (Anti Twist Technology), Gearbox Design and Autoclave Technology.

 

The Tip Tornado started a trend in the early ’90′s which has progressively evolved into today’s complex yet easy to use – low diameter rod. A low profile rod has the edge in transferring energy in the cast. There is a time in every cast where the bait accelerates from the launch point – that moment when the rod feeds back vital information to you and the compression and release are harmonised with directional control. The Tip Tornado has always delivered this vital requirement with its unique action. The design gives better stability in gusty conditions. The original spirit of the Tip Tornado design has been retained but advances in technology over the decades has enabled us to make the latest generation of Tip Tornado rods even better.

 

The Kompressor range has been proven over and over again as well as constantly improved since the first designs created a big surprise on casting courts and match circuits. Kompressor are characterised by a smooth easily controlled casting action for all styles – overhead, off the ground or pendulum. The Kompressor WR300 was the first rod ever to cast over 300 yards at a UKSF Grand Prix – yet all Kompressors have highly desirable rough to mixed ground fishing qualities. Kompressors are highly rated not just by us but by the endorsement of thousands of sea anglers who enjoy the benefits owning a model from this range.