Rebuilding a Senator 115, Any Advise?

[Djamiller]

Hey guys, I'm currently rebuilding a Penn 115 that my buddy found, it was sitting on a boat for a few years so it was in pretty rough shape. Many of the screws were so corroded that the heads sheared off when I tried removing them. Now I've gotten everything apart and cleaned up nicely, looking like new again! I need to figure out what im doing as far as the drag goes and as far as some new screws. I tried searching but it appears no one has found a suitable replacement for the stock screws thus far? Between the new screws from Scott's (like $.70 each! ), new drag washers, a new power handle (stock ones missing), and a rod to go along with it it's going to get expensive quick. I plan to use this reel for catching grouper and sharks, any tips on anything else I should upgrade? I plan to fish it with 70-80lb test mono.

[Shark Hunter]

The possibilities are up to you on this. The single most important upgrade is a stainless sleeve and the 5 stack drag with HT-100's. There have been some real breakthroughs on here with helical cut stainless gear sets from Black Pearl that should be available at the end of the month.
I fish my 115 with straight 80lb mono and am targeting sharks as well. It is bone stock except for the drags. There are some great tutorials on here about double dogging it as well.
My personal opinion, the 115 is good for sharks up to the seven or eight foot range.
A stainless sleeve kit can be had from the boss.(Alan Tani) He sells a kit that comes with a carbontex washer for under the main gear and a stainless dog.
For now, I would just fish it.

[saltydog]

With a ss gear set, ss gear sleeve, carbon fiber drags you can easily fish 80# but if it is your only shark reel I would put 500 yards of 80# braid then top off with 80# mono. This will give you a few hundred yards more line just in case you do latch into a bigger fish. I have personally caught sharks and marlin on 9/0's and they can handle it just fine even with a stock reel. I like them with straight 50# mono and have caught my personal best Lemon shark in Naples Fla. 10'6" on a stock one off the beach. I have also caught lots of bulls and spinners off my charter boat without problems. You just have to get over all the hype of drag settings that will pull bumpers of your car and drag you overboard.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I second salty, straight mono 50 or 60lb, higher poundage go to braid backing. I caught my biggest shark so far on a bone stock 9/0 with straight 50, a huge blacktip off a pier, it was probably big enough to break the NC state record

[Alto Mare]

With some upgrades you can double the drag capacity on that reel, not that it needs it, but we just like to explore here.
I agree with Shark Hunter above a stainless sleeve and a set of Carbon Fiber drags and you're set.
That reel will catch anything in the water, even sharks over 7'.
Good luck with your reel.
Sal

[Djamiller]

If I go with the smooth drag washers will I be able to put more in and get more drag? I figure if I'm going to spend the money and the time rebuilding it I might as well do it right the first time around so I don't have to redo anything.

[Shark Hunter]

I'm not sure if the smooths are carbon fiber. I'm not familiar with them. I only use HT-100's. They are carbon fiber and considered to be best. Get a kit from Mystic Reel Parts. It has all the washers and drags for what you need for a 5 Stack setup. I wouldn't start hot rodding it until you get that stainless sleeve.


"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

[Keta]

Smoooth Drag "Carbontex" drag washers are carbon fiber.  I prefer them over HT-100.

[Djamiller]

Yes, they are thinner as well from what I understand?

[Shark Hunter]

Sorry about that DJ. There is a lot more experience here than I have! I just didn't know about the Smooth washers.

[Keta]

HT-100 CF washers are also good but it's easier for me to get Smoooth Drag washers.

[Alto Mare]

HT100 and carbontex are both good, but for custom cut washers I would go with laminated washers, here is where I get them from:
http://myworld.ebay.com/cfdrag/
His name is Erik.
Sal

[Shark Hunter]

Looks like he is selling them like hot cakes since the Black pearl gears need custom cut drags.

[Djamiller]

Thanks for the advice guys, unfortunately I don't have the money for the black pearl gears right now, do you guys really find much of a difference in performance between the HT100s and the carbontex washers? It also looks like my screw search is coming up shorts, looks like I'll be buying them from scotts.

[Alto Mare]

Thanks for the advice guys, unfortunately I don't have the money for the black pearl gears right now, do you guys really find much of a difference in performance between the HT100s and the carbontex washers? It also looks like my screw search is coming up shorts, looks like I'll be buying them from scotts.

I personally have not found a difference using carbontex and HT100 washers, carbontex are weaved tighter than HT100, but I've never seen a HT100 break apart.
Now if your comparing the two with some of our custom laminated washers, I'm going to say that the custom hex cut washers are much smoother than both, but the functionality of the washers ( lay-out ) has a lot to do with it, not just the washer itself.
The same goes if you add Bryan's kit, additional washers will also make the reel smooth.

I understand going custom is not in your budget at the moment, you would do just fine with the (5) washers from Smoothdrag or Scotts.

Sal