Don, I am truthfully very glad your are happy with your selection but, respectfully, as an engineer think of this; as a casting tool (which is why we go to 2handed rods: for more line speed or further the distance) which generates greater tip speed a 11' rod or a 16' rod when moving your casting hands exactly the same distance and speed through a casting stroke? Tip speed directly relates to line speed and perceived physical effort is essentially the same when supported by two hands. Like comparing using a putter and a 1 iron off the tee except the 16' rod has a 5' length advantage over the 11'er. To verify conclusions try this too, tape your 11'er to a broom handle and cast it and let me know what you experience by adding this length to the system.
I know, and have talked to, both the owner of TFO and Jay Horton who initially helped guide TFO, thru their Pro Staff program, in developing their line of two handed rods. This Jay also had some input with T&T's 12x12 so one can see his trend is towards short TH rods as does Bob Meiser (considered the father of switch rods) on the West Coast (also has TFO input). I am fully aware of their take on this as well as our two most well known flycasting east coast "pros" located in MD and PA (the one MD "pro" once promoted rods no shorter than 14' until he was compromised and the PA "pro" took years to finally state their advantages and bad mouthed them frequently in public till finally deciding how great they are then promoted them to the point of even teaching others to cast them for cash when he had only a month of experience with them himself). You have an active club member with more time with a 2handed rod on Atlantic Coastal waters than 4 of these "pro's" put together, I am sure of, maybe all 5. To me experience carries far more weight than titles when I need an answer to a question. As an engineer, when you were stumped didn't you go out and inquire with those who had to work with it everyday for answers? They may not have the your expertise to design it but they know what works and what would make it better, most of the time. I know in my profession, before I retired, I went to the floor when I needed answers then I would recruit our engineers to give them what they needed to make it better or fix the problem.
Bill Micheline (who is who I was referring to above and over the years I have grown to respect) is very active in your club, ask him to let you cast his 15' Sage TCR and bring your TFO too to compare effort to results between the two rods. The results are predictable and inevitable; one just can't beat the laws of physics. Bill can be of great assistance to you and he enjoys helping.
I fish your waters with a 12x12 at times in the back or at IRI (I have both a 1212 T&T and a 1208 T&T (retired due to it was the setup my youngest daughter used before her being a victim in a murder suicide last January: she was everything to me and a great 2handed fly angler whom I miss greatly) and they are fun and keep my 2handed timing fresh but aren't what I call true 2handed casting tools) ( fact is, they are no better casting tools than my 9' 1handed rods with a good dbl haul) but out front or anywhere conditions warrant greater line speed it's a 15' or 16'er with a 45' 12wt shooting head which I can cast all night, cover far more water, and be less affected by size of forage or weather conditions with no more physical effort than the 12'ers and less than my 1handed rods. There are times I would of loved to of had a 20'er for 14wt line.
Please post what you think after this side by side comparison of short vs long 2hander's, if you do it. I will be glad to assist you or anyone else for that matter who has 2handed questions, Don (though I don't swing by here on this site as much as some others). I assist for the love of the sport and in the spirit of helping other anglers to enjoy 2handed fishing to the fullest; not for title, profit, or praise.
I call them as I have experienced them to shorten others learning curves and speed up their satisfaction and enjoyment with 2handed fly fishing the salt, regardless of industry trends.
One last word of advice: with 2handers ALWAYS electrical tape your ferrule's together ... you will be the first one to regret it when you don't! 2hander's generate tremendous pressures on the rod and it's ferrule's and will loosen ferrules and break rods in a blink of an eye!
