New Okuma Makaira feedback

[Jim]

Just finished prepping my new Mak 30SE for a 15day LR trip on the Royal Star and just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in . . .

Did a full breakdown, thanks Alan, for the rebuild 50 on the Okuma board, it always makes it soooo easy when you can see one come apart before you do it to a reel you're not familiar with!

To be fair, I'm an Accurate ATD guy and always will be, and that's the lens thru which I looked at the Mak.

Tolerances inside were nice and tight  (++)

The drag assembly was unique but well engineered and the washer (which I had been concerned about) was adhered to a rather substantial fiberglass disc  (+)

My drag washer was NOT properly greased. There were a couple little smudges around the washer but it was a piss poor job. I cleaned the washer, greased it the way Cal Sheets taught me, no biggee to do but still . . .   (-)

This carried over into the gears, shaft, etc. Everything was so well machined (++)  but where I expected grease it was obviously scrimped upon. The gears? Really? Very easy to take care of, just a little surprising to me.  (-)

Bearings were top quality and the freespool was excellent  (++)

A longer handle arm is really needed, not a lot, maybe just 1 or 2 cm, that detent in the drag ratchet plate at #1 is way wrong and I'd like the teeth in the plate to be shorter to smooth thing up some. Total nitpicking!

Now, having gone thru and addressed one big (to me) issue and a couple minor ones I can't wait to try this reel out on big fish!!

At this point, unless something totally unexpected comes up out on the water, and I don't see that, I will just say this:
This is a darn good reel. And I didn't qualify that with "for the price"!

I'll post a follow-up report after I stress it out on some big tuna and then tear it down again after I get home.

[Rare]

Can't wait for your report, Jim! what are you going after?

[Jim]

Cow trip. Yellowfin tuna preferably over 200#. Can't wait!!!!!!

[Dominick]

Yellowfin tuna preferably over 200#. Can't wait!!!!!!

Of course, that goes without saying Dominick

[wallacewt]

hi jim
what would be your drag setting be prior to hooking a fish and your method.scale,lockup,hand pull?also what b/s line.cheers

[Jim]

hi jim
what would be your drag setting be prior to hooking a fish and your method.scale,lockup,hand pull?also what b/s line.cheers

Strike drag setting is 30%, but that little lever gives me some control to back it off on the first run. I set drag with a scale! With big tuna it's no time to be jimmy-jacking around with less than precise settings.
We fish line LABELED 100 and 130#. Actual breaking depends on the manufacturer and material. I've got 100 that breaks at 98, 125, and 140 Depending on whether it's fluoro or mono and who made it. 
I HATE that line manufacturers can just slap anything they want on their product . . . and don't even get me started on labeled diameters in INCHES!! Life would be so much easier if we all moved into the 21st century and labeled products honestly and metrically!

[Rare]

Cow trip. Yellowfin tuna preferably over 200#. Can't wait!!!!!!

Hope you get a super cow & put that reel to the test! Good luck, Jim! 

[wallacewt]

thank you