My favorite Penn

Started by Shellbelly, October 24, 2021, 12:04:05 AM

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Shellbelly

Here are some photos of my earliest projects.  Kind of re-created to show how many piles of parts it took to get these Sailfishers to the shelf.  This is the model that started my Penn bug.  I searched all over the place for any parts I could find.  It was an adventure since I had never built a reel from scratch. I had the good fortune to get advice from Mike C and encouragement from others to stay on task.

I had no idea that I had chosen one of the most difficult Penn reels to get NOS parts for.  The red knob reel is a first year model.  The gear side plate alone on that reel took months to find.  The 3-piece spool is as difficult to unearth in NOS condition.  They weren't expensive parts, just so scarce that I almost threw in the towel.  I made connections though and now I get calls when guys come across these reels or good parts.

I'm sure many of you have these and some still use them.  I think they're hot rods straight out of the box.  It's a short list of upgrades to make these (almost) the perfect reel in its class...in my opinion.

The project is still open because I have yet to get a decent BOX.
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

Maxed Out

#1
 Nice reels Shellb. Sailfisher was unique unto itself. Very few parts were interchangeable with other Penn models. Short lived production of approx 15 years. My guess is the 113h and 114h becoming popular in the late 60's was the demise of the sailfisher
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Shellbelly

PM sent.  Interesting also that this model was introduced without "made in USA" and "PAT'D".  Then another collector showed me a pic of a Sailfisher side plate WITH "made in USA" in the stamping.  I saw a similar style stamping on a Long Beach after that.  I think it's near impossible to keep up with Penn.  I love trying, though.
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

mo65

   I love the Sailfisher! It's like a super sized Long Beach 60...bigger...stronger...and faster! Here's a pic of my Sailfisher with Ted's awesome handle on it. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Shellbelly

I haven't fished any of mine.  I don't have enough parts to be comfortable.  I see yours has the accessible drag.  Any idea when this feature came about?  Penn didn't document this change while they did announce it for the 349.  I'm left to assume(again!) that these two models changed  in the same year.  BUT, it could have happened later in the first year.  Nobody has shown documentation on this.  While i doubt that it is a first year change, anything is possible.

What is the heaviest fish you have landed with your Sailfisher?  Iv'e had conversations with guys and all said they loved the reel.  Most had to retire them b/c of parts.

That handle is jazzy!
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

1badf350

Randy I have that same box. The seller I bought mine from listed several of the same. I questioned him on the legitimacy of the box and he told me it was not real. When I received it it was clear to me it was a recently made box.

-Chris

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."
John Wayne as J.B. Books in "The Shootist"

oc1

Wow!  A counterfeit box.  Says a lot about the hobby.

Shellbelly

I think is was a genuine attempt at a novelty to target the impromptu man cave crowd....like the fake lure shadow boxes.  The real cave men saw through it like girls can spot fake diamonds.  Since it's already marked, put your spare 130 parts in it!
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

Deepennz

Hi There,
My 2 cents worth ..I have a first year #130, and box,  with internal drag system. These are the only 130's I have seen with the internal drag... all later models I have seen have the external access.
There has been discussion on here about when the logo changed from the slanted, parallel line logo to the more usual Penn style logo, and the change to the non counterweight handle.
I do not know when this change occurred, but I also have a NIB #130, (Blue box, white metal corners) with a 24B catalogue - seemingly a 1963 model, that still has the Parallel line logo, and a swirl yellow counterweighted handle.
Hence it would seem that the change to the new logo, and power handle, occurred after 1963.
Hope that helps!!
Cheers
Martin

Shellbelly

#9
All of my 130's have the slanted sailfisher logo inside the lines.  I just received a 1st gen NOS gear side plate today so another early reel is coming together when I find a nice 3 piece spool. As for the handles, the catalogs show the 24-49 as the factory standard.  I believe you could order any handle that fits the sleeve but I assume the reel came standard with the #49...which is amazing since there are proprietary parts all over that model.  The external drag threw me for a loop the first time I saw it.  None of the Penn docs follow this modification. 

I've seen just one logo change and I don't think it lasted long.  130's still come up for sale pretty often but I've not seen one with that logo I mentioned before.  I would like to think the scarce logo is either limited introductory(1952) or farewell(1969).
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

Shellbelly

Just when I think the wave has crested, another 130 reel shows up or some parts turn up.  On the left are 1st-year models with their 3-piece spools and internal drags and the ones on the right are the later models with external drags.  I wouldn't consider these as rare reels, just unique.

I think they are in that "gray area" of "terms" as they are getting older....but not quite old enough.  While the 1st-year reels still show up, their as-found conditions are frequently becoming more degraded. 

I have to go out on a limb and say, solely in my experience building these, VG chrome is scarce. The 9-130 sleeve and a VG 3-piece spool for the 1st year model are rare....as individual parts on the market.  Most of the internal parts are still around.  An original 7-130 drag disc set is kinda scarce, but Mystic has a solution.  Not OEM, but it works.  It's just that the external drag model has one disc that is a bit thicker.

Anyway, I could get real deep in the weeds about these, but they're more fun to look at.  Each one still needs some shiny thing to make it a little better and that's what keeps me in the game.  Not sure if they'll ever be finished but they have come a long way.

Too bad I was too little to put one to work.
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

Rancanfish

Thanks for sharing guys, I had no Sailfisher knowledge at all.

Boy after reading all that I am happy I didn't start a Sailfisher collection. As it was I spent way too many hours searching for various parts. And now I don't even look at my reels.

That may change in the next few weeks since my boat is getting close to finished.

I woke today and suddenly nothing happened.

Gfish

I have one. Slanted logo, external access drags. I bought 2 almost at once. One with a badly broken side-plate, but some great under-used internals. Gave some of the unused parts to the Thorhammer.
One thing I'd add for strength/protection if possible, would be outside plate-rings. It's a great trolling reel.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

Shellbelly

I think the ones to catch would be the LH reels of each 130 version.  I've never seen one or any LH parts.

Recently, there was a complete Neptuna cradle rod and reel combo available.  Local pick-up only, over a thousand miles away from me.  That would have been a nice addition.  It was the only one I'd ever seen. 
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)

Shellbelly

Quote from: Gfish on March 26, 2023, 07:05:05 PMI have one. Slanted logo, external access drags.
I see those the most.  Here are the 3 types I have come across and a few other little things that are convenient to show here.

The left is the 1st year side plate with internal drags and the longer 9-130 sleeve.  This model seems to have started out with the older, pointed 24-49 handle knob and the tooled (or knurled, whatever you like) 21-130 eccentric lever.

The Center is a later, unknown year model showing the external drag access modification.  The beveled bushing and now much smaller 9-130 sleeve are in front with the smooth 21-130 eccentric lever.

On the right is also a later unknown year model with a different logo that removed the parallel lines making room for "Made in USA".  Oh, and the more modern handle knob is typical of the later models.  All else is the same....maybe.  In front of this reel are two sizes of drag stars, both are 10-130 and fit no other Penn reel.  Which 130 model they actually belong to isn't known by me.  As far as I know, this could be a re-discovery...maybe.  Whoever found it prior may not have had the means to document it.  It's been 70 years since the reel began, and 54 years since it stopped.  That's 3 overlapping generations of reelsmiths and collectors.  Somebody had to notice.

So these are more of the outward and easily seen details of these 3 reels.
"Little boy,  you can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in."  (My Momma)
"You shot it boy, you're gonna clean it and eat it".  (My Dad)