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Random Quote: Better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission
This weekend I finished preventive maintenance on my new Penn 50VSW, using the techniques that Alantani recommends here.
I put in the "upgrade" Bellevilles (or "clutch springs," as Penn calls them) that came with the reel, in (()) fashion.
I saturated the Dura-Drag discs with Shimano drag grease, then wiped it all off well.
I put Corrosion X on the two spool bearings, though I didn't clean out the existing grease, since I already have all the freespool that I want.
I greased and Never-Seezed all the screws.
I sprayed Corrosion X down into the crank where the gearshift is.
And I coated the internal non-critical surfaces with grease to prevent corrosion.
Today I tested the reel for drag, just to see how much I could get and still retain good freespool.
I kept upping it and upping it until I got:
29# at STRIKE
53#+ at FULL
(At that point my surgeon's loop in the 80# mono failed, and the Shimano spring scale maxed at 50# anyway, but I believe I could have gotten more if I wished.)
This was with good freespool. I can't spin the spool very fast with my hand, since it's filled with line, but I get about 8 sec. freespool even at the slow speed I'm able to spin it. I suspect if I were able to spin it faster (and if I had cleaned the grease out of those spool bearings and replaced it with Corrosion X) I could get even more drag and even more freespool...but what I have is plenty for me.
Conclusion: Maybe the Avet claim that we hear so much of -- that you can get 57# drag at FULL and still have good freespool on their Pro EX50W -- isn't so unique. My Penn 50VSW can probably make the same claim. And like the Avet, it's made in the USA!
Note: I have no financial interest with any of the products or companies mentioned.
capt crunch:
thanks for the info. I made the same changes to my 50VSW but I have not tested the drags yet since I don't have any line on it yet.
Glad the maintenance went ok.
The Avet drag claim to fame is fathered by their T-Rex, which is a 50W sized product with washers on both sides of the spool that produces 100# out of the box.
This reel will pull those Tiagras and Penns around like poodles on S&M party leashes.
That is some pretty good numbers. If you get a chance, check to see how the drag range changes from just after you engage the drag up to strike. I would like to know how the range is affected with that high setting. My Avet EXW 4/02 doesn't have much effective range with 20 lbs. of drag at strike. You move the lever from freespool and the drag is at like 15 lbs. immediately. It would be nice to have about 10 to start and be able to increase to 20 at strike and really be able to pin it down at full.
I think it's hilarious to hear folks talk about being able to get 50 or 100# of drag out of 50's!!! As mentioned earlier I'd pay to see someone put 50# of drag on a nice fish say a 60-80 pound yellowfin off of the strike w/ stand up gear and hold on for more than a minute or so!!! Never mind that they're fishing 80# line either. It'll hold. Right?
I appreciate all this analysis and I too would like to know how much pressure I'm putting on a fish relative to the line I'm using. But frankly I think fish are fought by feel and nothing else. My point is that all this stuff goes out the window when you're on the job.
BTW Auguste, that'sa nice boat. First time I've seen a complete picture of it.
I think it's hilarious to hear folks talk about being able to get 50 or 100# of drag out of 50's!!! As mentioned earlier I'd pay to see someone put 50# of drag on a nice fish say a 60-80 pound yellowfin off of the strike w/ stand up gear and hold on for more than a minute or so!!! Never mind that they're fishing 80# line either. It'll hold. Right?
Well start laughing.
Little (5'9"/160 lb) guys like Josh Temple, Dennis Braid, and thier clients are landing +200 tuna on standup with strike drags on 40 lbs, then get serious putting 60 lbs to bring im in a hurry (15 miutes) to better release these babies in good condition and save themselves the typical 5 hour sunburn to land a tail wrapped dead fish. A young female novice also caught a 190 pounder with Josh last season, so don't discount what you can comfortably do with a good harness.
Dennis has a video out where he lands a couple 500 lb GBFT's back to back, taking each one in less than an hour a couple years back.
Using a T-Rex capabable of 100 gives you a broader adusting range when you drop them down to 40-60 range, but both men prefer the 50w size.
So no its not for everyone, but 50 lbs of drag on standup is no longer so uncommon.
And 60 -120 lb tuna are what these guys are targeting on little Avet Jx's on casting rods fyi.
Fished giants in NC and used 40-45# of drag on standup gear. The key was the right harness. We used Black Magic Equalizers. I worked one BIG fish for and hour and 20 minutes at 45# of drag. I am 5'9" @ 195#. With the right harness I was strong in the fight for about an hour. The last 20 minutes sucked. Most of our 13 fish were landed in 30 minutes or less. Only 2 fish lasted over 35 minutes.
For those doubters it's not so much a strength game, its' gear and technique.
Thanks Alan, I couldn't have done it (and wouldn't have tried) without your help!
Pooldoo- Here are the numbers I get (remember, this is on a Shimano 50# spring scale, so I don't know how accurate it is):
At 0 (just past freespool) there wasn't enough drag to measure.
At 1 I got maybe 1# of drag.
At 2 I got 3# of drag.
At 3 I got 8# of drag.
At 4 I got 15# of drag.
At STRIKE, I got 29# of drag.
At FULL, 50++ (off the scale) of drag.
So...it's a big jump from "4" to "STRIKE" ... almost double!
YMMV.
Yeah yeah yeah guys I know very few people can handle 50# or even 35# of drag on standup but you know what? When it's time for the fish to come aboard, it's nice to know you've got the heat!
If you can't stand the heat, get the he|| outta the cockpit!
I'm not saying it can't be done with 40lbs, 60 is definetly pushing it (even for Braid), 100 is out of the question. Having fished with alot of drag (not stand-up) I can say it is not a walk in the park. I agree it is all in the harness set up, but these numbers are being thrown around like it's now the norm. I think alot of people would be very suprized when they tried to hold onto 30lbs. for any length of time. And so I don't sound like a wind bag my expeirience has come from over 10 Giant seasons when there were actually fish. That being said nice job on beefing up your reels.
Thanks Capt. With a useable range like that you could fish the reel with a fairly lite drag setting and adjust according to what you end up with on the other end.
Penn 50VSW: 53#+ Drag with Freespool 
photob
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