I don't know how long my arm is, and i'm too lazy to go get a tape measure. It's 2 hand widths near enough, so 40-45cm.
I'm certainly impressed by the quality of my Vanguard, especially seeing as i hadn't really heard of vanguard before I started looking in december All the shops around here carry a lof of manfrotto, a few token Sliks and that's it. Only one stocked a few Vanguards, but not this model. Arca Swiss is unheard of in this country pretty much, thank god for B+H.

Here's a replication of a shot i was doing the other day (just use you imagination, pretend it's outside and there's a bug on a leaf under the lens, i'm not going outside to replicate it because i'm home sick from work today and don't want to get worse)
Click image for larger version. 

Name:	P3012355.jpg 
Views:	30 
Size:	93.9 KB 
ID:	609