okuma makaira 50wii vs penn international 50 vsw

[mohamedhashem21]

hello every body
i live in egypt and i'm going to buy on of these reels within a day or two isa :
i'll use it for trolling
1-okuma makaira 50wii
2-penn international 50vsw

i find both reels maybe very close but i see that the okuma produce a large amount of drag compared to the penn so could any one who tried any of them tell me the advantages and disadvantages i saw alan's topic about tha makaira 50 ii and i found him very pleased with it more thany any other
also please i need to know the real price of both in the u.s



makaira features:

-6061-T6 machined aluminum frame with forged side plates
-Proprietary hybrid corrosion resistant stainless steel gearing
-Helical cut gears for extreme smoothness and gear meshing
-Makaira reels all feature two-speed gearing systems
-Gold anodized two-speed gear shifter housing
-Cold forged, Type-II anodized, machined aluminum spool
-CRC: Corrosion Resistant Coating process
-Patented spool pin system for use with braided or mono lines
-Carbonite Dual Force drag system featuring Cal's universal drag grease
-Custom designed thrust bearing: Alleviates side load on heavy drag settings
-4-pcs ABEC-5 precision Sapporo stainless steel rubber sealed ball bearings
-Double-dog, proprietary silent anti-reverse system
-Ratcheting drag lever and drag cam for precise drag setting
-Patented T-Bar handle with Easy Roll graphite insert on all models
-Heavy duty stainless steel ratcheting clicker system
-Heavy duty, precision stainless steel drive and spool shafts
-Type-II gold anodized frame, side plates, spool, drag lever and handle
-Open top frame design on MK-10II, 15II, 20II and 50II
-Lug and plug system on all open top reel models
-Machined thumb rest on rear cross bar for improved ergonomics
-Forged aluminum full hard anodized reel foot and reel clamp
-Machine-etched marlin logo on left side plate
-Precision placement of drain holes maximizes water removal from reel
-Special screw ports around side plate screws reduces water/corrosion buildup
-GEAR RATIO 3.2:1/1.3:1, LINE CAPCITY 50LBS / 900M, MAX DRAG @ MAX 85LBS & @STRIKE 60LBS.





penn's features:

-Full metal body and sideplates keep precise gear alignment under heavy loads
-Quick-Shift™ 2-speed system easily shifts into high or low gear
-Push-To-Turn™ preset knob eliminates accidental changes to the drag
-Dura-Drag™ washers virtually eliminate hesitation, even under extreme drag settings
-Ratcheted drag lever prevents "drag creep" caused by hours of trolling and vibrations
-Shielded stainless steel ball bearings
-Stainless steel reel stand
-Braid Ready to handle the strain that braided lines put on a reel
-GEAR RATIO 3.1:1/1.3:1, LINE CAPCITY 50LBS / 825M, MAX DRAG @ MAX 45LBS & @STRIKE 28LBS.


mohamed hashem

[alantani]

i have both and they will both function equally well.  they are also both equally difficult to work on. for you, please take into consideration the price of the reel and the ability to service it if there is a problem.   

[mohamedhashem21]

i have both and they will both function equally well.  they are also both equally difficult to work on. for you, please take into consideration the price of the reel and the ability to service it if there is a problem.   

thank you alan for your care and your quick reply
one more question
do you think that the okuma's large drag force give it an advantage to be considered  over the Penn ?

[redsetta]

G'day Mohamed,
No doubt drag is good and more drag's better , but manufacturers' stated maximums can be a bit of an 'arms race'.
Practical limits apply to both the angler and the tackle.
For instance, a setting of around 20lbs would likely require a harness, while a setting above 30-35lbs will probably require a chair.
You're more likely to fish a drag setting which matches your target species, line and leader weights, rod capacity, terminal tackle etc, rather than the stated max capacity.
Working through the equation that way will indicate whether 80-odd pounds of drag is actually useable in your situation.
Hope that's of some assistance.
Good luck, Justin

[Dominick]

Mohamid:  I tend to agree with Justin.  In my experience on big game fish YFT and Marlin a drag setting of 25lbs is sufficient.  It is difficult to hold 25-30 lbs for a long time.  Therefore having 80 lbs of drag just won't be useful in either reel.  Dominick

[mohamedhashem21]

thank you all for your advice , in egypt we mostly use harness and chairs even for 15 lbs settings , but should i worry about the okuma's quality or durability ??
i need the reel for BFT in the Mediterranean (100-300)LBS  i will spool it with 130 lbs power pro braid line (do i need large drag force for these settings)
one more issue:
i need to know the price of each exactly as i can't get any accurate prices through the internet
thank you



mohamed hashem

[mohamedhashem21]

btw okuma also gives a 5-years warranty on the makaira

[mohamedhashem21]

another uestion please
on penn reels website it is mentioned that the 50vsw braid capacity is 1425/130 yds./lbs   http://pennreels.com/products/reels/conventional-reels/lever-drag-reels/international-vs

while the okuma makaira's 50wii capacity is only 800-yds of 130-lbs (HC)(hollow core)
http://www.okuma.com.tw/en/products-view-1-4-1.html   

how can the difference be so big?? however the okuma holds more mono-filament line!
is the hollow-core braid different in diameter or something??

forgive me for my many questions :D
mohamed hashem

[redsetta]

G'day Mohamed,
Try here for US pricing:

• Makaira - http://www.tackledirect.com/okuma-mk-50wii-makaira-speed-lever-drag-reel.html
• Penn - http://www.tackledirect.com/penn50vsw.html

Or here:

• Makaira - http://www.charkbait.com/cs/csrOkuma.htm
• Penn - http://www.charkbait.com/cs/csrp.htm

I don't think you'll have any problems with either reel - they're both top-notch units.
Cheers, Justin

[alantani]

another uestion please
on penn reels website it is mentioned that the 50vsw braid capacity is 1425/130 yds./lbs   http://pennreels.com/products/reels/conventional-reels/lever-drag-reels/international-vs

while the okuma makaira's 50wii capacity is only 800-yds of 130-lbs (HC)(hollow core)
http://www.okuma.com.tw/en/products-view-1-4-1.html   

how can the difference be so big?? however the okuma holds more mono-filament line!
is the hollow-core braid different in diameter or something??

forgive me for my many questions :D
mohamed hashem

no problem.  the line capacities can vary quite a bit.  i think they are not always accurate. 

[mohamedhashem21]

another uestion please
on penn reels website it is mentioned that the 50vsw braid capacity is 1425/130 yds./lbs   http://pennreels.com/products/reels/conventional-reels/lever-drag-reels/international-vs

while the okuma makaira's 50wii capacity is only 800-yds of 130-lbs (HC)(hollow core)
http://www.okuma.com.tw/en/products-view-1-4-1.html   

how can the difference be so big?? however the okuma holds more mono-filament line!
is the hollow-core braid different in diameter or something??

forgive me for my many questions :D
mohamed hashem

no problem.  the line capacities can vary quite a bit.  i think they are not always accurate. 

thank you alan very much i know ask a lot    , forgive me but i'm like a person who found an oasis inthe desert :D:D
does this mean that the okuma can hold braid line as much as the penn???
and should i worry about the okuma's quality or durability?
the okuma is less than the penn by 50$ in price in egypt
i.e: approximately the same price

thank you

mohamed hashem

[alantani]

i have found that the exact line capacities are often just estimates and can vary because diameters of many brands of fishing line are different.  that is why usually do not worry about it.  large price differences should be considered.  5 years from now, however, the big consideration will be the ease of servicing.  the goal is to bring everyone to the point where they will be able to service their own fishing reels.  if you can do that, then it does not matter which reel you buy.  once you get into this class of fishing reel, they will all function equally well after they are properly serviced. 

regarding okuma, their quaility has improved dramatically in the past few years.  they are actually one of the best right now. 

[mohamedhashem21]

i have found that the exact line capacities are often just estimates and can vary because diameters of many brands of fishing line are different.  that is why usually do not worry about it.  large price differences should be considered.  5 years from now, however, the big consideration will be the ease of servicing.  the goal is to bring everyone to the point where they will be able to service their own fishing reels.  if you can do that, then it does not matter which reel you buy.  once you get into this class of fishing reel, they will all function equally well after they are properly serviced. 

regarding okuma, their quaility has improved dramatically in the past few years.  they are actually one of the best right now. 

thank you very much alan

[mohamedhashem21]

sorry alan but tis is my last question in this topic
if you are going to buy one of the them for the purposes i mentioned, which one will it be?
thank you


mohamed hashem

[mohamedhashem21]

any answers?