penn squall 2 speed ?

[forrest]

Has anyone opened one of these up yet, and what do you think, am interested in the 16vs model if it will hold up to 20# drag. thanks forrest

[Dynamo]

Well, they're Internationals w. a graphite frame, so the only thing that needs to be proven is the frame . Just my preference, I'd snatch up an Avet 30w for 200 bucks more. Worth every penny more I believe. But the Squall should do exactly what you want it to do, especially at those drag ranges. It should be superior to the stock TLDs and Solterras, definately. Hope I helped !

[Legal Bill]

I just bought a Squall 30 VSW last week.  I did a lot of research and then compared it closely with a TLD 30.  The Shimano is smoother and generates greater drag, according to the published numbers.  The Penn is bigger, holds a lot more line, and has a more substantial, stronger frame design.  They retail for $299, but they can be found for under $250.  If you are willing to go with an internet seller, you can get one closer to $200.  A well known charter captain in my area used the one speed Squalls all last season for tuna up to 80 pounds with no problems.  Obviously a 16 would cost less.

[johndtuttle]

Has anyone opened one of these up yet, and what do you think, am interested in the 16vs model if it will hold up to 20# drag. thanks forrest

Yes, working on a tutorial now for the single speed. They share many of the best qualities with the fundamental design of the Torque Lever Drags.

The issue is always going to be the graphite frame. IF you need a lot of capacity and modest drag numbers they will hold up quite a while. If you are going to be fishing 20lbs of drag day in and day out then you are going to be disappointed, sooner or later.

There is a reason those massive International 50W reels have such thick frames and side plates. They are designed to fish 20lbs or drag for decades. Whatever the listed max of the Graphite reel is I believe it will be darn accurate...its not a question of max drag, it is whether the reel is designed to fish that for very long.

Graphite frame reels are for brief runs at their max drag numbers for fish that then tire quickly and don't strain the reel much after that. Graphite frames develop stress cracks that eventually really crack if stressed continually.

The question is what are you going to be fishing for and how often? Tuna over 200lbs or Black Marlin over 4-500lbs? Fergetaboutit.

Trolling for Wahoo or King Mackerel, Sails and Dolphin? Perfectly fine.

[Legal Bill]

Hi John.

I'm no expert, but I think there is a good liklihood that the Squall will stand up well at its max drag.  The frame looks much more robust than other graphite reels and the max drag is a good bit less.  It strikes me that Penn biased the design towards line capacity rather than max drag which Is why I went in that direction.  I'm more of a finess fisherman than a muscle fisherman.

Are the internals of the one speeds anything like the 2 speeds.

[johndtuttle]

Yep yep, the internals are Stainless Main Gear and Pinion, they also use a number of thrust washer assemblies to reduce axial load, preserve free spool and help the Pinion bearing hold up.

The basic design is as if you took a Torque LD 2-speed and put it in a graphite frame. The only knock I have on it is that they use a brass bushing in the graphite frame as a support for the handle rather than bearings but they seem to last forever. But from what I see this is the industry standard in every graphite reel. I think the issue is that you would have to add a lot of graphite to properly house a bearing, increasing weight and cost, where the graphite functions adequately with a bushing to support the handle. Sometimes less is more.

Like anything else, it's to be appreciated and rightly so for what you get for the $$$. We can always knock something that is less than the ultimate, and then we knock the ultimate for being too complicated .

[Legal Bill]

And too expensive.