Ok I'm going to add a few things to the first part. That's the problem with most reviews; they're simply a taster. Well this the reel deal – the main course.

A flyreel isn't just about function, I mean sure, it is about function, and I wrote about last time, but it's also about design.

What we have here is a reel that is a reel with 186 holes, not counting the ones which have been plugged. That's a lot of holes. And since this is a bar stock reel, each one of these holes has been machined on a lathe. You can bet that months of thought went into the design of this reel; I'd love to see the prototypes.

It's not the lightest reel on the market, I'm not sure why some people think that they need have to have the lightest reel – I want a reel that balances the rod around my index finger – not for casting; that's when you want the lightest reel possible – but just for holding the rod while fishing and wandering around.

Mind you it's not exactly heavy either; anything with 186 holes isn't exactly going to be one of the heaviest reels on the planet. So this is a reel designed by an engineer, with form and function. It's German. In the case of women that's perhaps not the greatest selling point – I've lived with two of them – but in the case of engineering this is something to take seriously.

The next time I'm in Germany I'm going to visit the factory, because I want to see one of these reels being built from start to finish.

There's something satisfying about a solid reel; you know you have something for life. A reel that you'll fish with and will become part of your experiences. It will take the knocks, just like you, especially when you fall down a hole, and you're just not going to break it, however reckless you my be. As the years pass it will take on your character, like a dog, and will become scratched on the surface; maybe you'll put a dent on the rim. But because it has been built by a German engineer, it will always be your faithful friend.

Just holding this reel is like a strong handshake, I pick it up from time to time to look at it. I turn the handle and pull the line off. I'm not very good at winding line; I always seem to get it knotted when I try to pull it off again, and this happens less with the Vosseler. It still happens of course; I'm not perfect.

And I turn the drag, wondering what's beneath. I spin the spool and it runs around picking up the line which is now trapped around my feet. And it's been inscribed, on the back of my reel it says “Mr. Sexyloops” and on the front “Vosseler”.

I pop the spool out and marvel at how smooth is the finish. All those holes. Some are round; others more O shaped. It must be quite a thing to build your own reel. There was a bit I thought was plastic; it's not, that's also machined. There's a little ball bearing in there, held in place by an O-ring. I guess that will disintegrate eventually and then I'll have a silent reel. In fact that may be about to happen… hang on.

Couldn't get the ball bearing out after removing the O-ring, but I did manage to stop the purring… hang on.

Put it back on again, I like the sound. So Ralf Vosseler managed to put a ball bearing in there that I can't get out. How very clever. I wonder how much time it took to get the reel to sound that way. Let's face it; everyone who picks up a reel spins it close to their ear. Like gunslingers, or jewellers perhaps – I'm the gunslinger type by the way. And the only purpose of that little ball bearing is so that as it runs around the spindle it makes a pleasing bigfish sound. It's like, “Yo! Big fish! Listen to that purring sound, isn't that exciting?”

So now I'm wondering how the spool clicks in place. It clicks very positively, but how? Hang on, going to take the ball bearing back out again. Nope that wasn't it. It can't be the back plate because that's where the bearing runs around, so it must be the front… how did he do that? Ah! There's a rubber O-ring hidden deep inside the drum… how did he do that? I'll need to buy a screwdriver.

Very clever. Yep, the man who designed this reel is a clever man.

I like the counterweight; it says take me seriously, Paul. It's pretty well balanced too. The back is slightly heavier than the front. I wonder if that's a good thing? I suppose the way I turn my reel out to the side it probably is. I'll have to try casting it left handed and right handed to see if it makes any difference. I mean of course I've already done this but I hadn't gone in and actually looked for it.

The only negative thing I can think of is it's made by a man who looks like Bon Jovi.

In part three I'll be taking the drag to pieces.

You can contact Vosseler through their website (they are very efficient – as you'd expect). The DC3 retails for 159 Euros and the spare spools for 75 Euros.

I'll have to buy a Mercedes.

Paul