wrote in message
Assuming competent, rational reel design rather than reels "designed to
sell," it's not only typical, but mathematically highly probable.

For whatever reason, this reminded me of a mathematical problem whose answer
is mathematically correct, but (to me anyway) seemed counterintuitive at
first. Here ya go:

You have a rope pulled snugly around the earth at the equator (diameter =
7,926 miles +/-). How much length would you need to add to the rope to
raise it 6 inches off the earth at all points?

Joe F.