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.
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
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.
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)
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!
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.
Wow! A counterfeit box. Says a lot about the hobby.
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!
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
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).
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Interesting. Aside from the outside access drag on the latter 2 versions, the changes seem so slight. The question for me would be; why?
One thing I like on these is the frame: 3-screw stand, double posts on either side, the single top post and the lugs.
Quote from: Gfish on March 27, 2023, 02:08:57 PMThe question for me would be; why?
Hard to say. Sailfisher was born in the beginning of that fast curve of innovation. It was a specialty reel for a kind of narrow audience. I believe Penn figured there was nothing more that could be done for it given the advance of its other models and their potential. The 349 had made a splash and the "H" Senators were sucking the air out of the rooms. I mean, really, what could be next for it? Sailfisher II, 130 HLW? It makes sense, to me anyway, that Sailfisher had to stand down. It was as good as it would ever get. Which is pretty darn good.
Somebody (Mo?) probably already said, "It's a LB 60 on steroids". I also believe that if parts were still plentiful, this thing would be rodded-out to insane performance and looks. It certainly has the bones and stones. Instead, it's like a ghost.
What most folks do not realize —-
Martha Henze possibly did more to hold Penn together, business wise, as well as innovation-wise —- with new offerings and products that were extremely successful.
And lest some think that the First Lady of Penn was not a sharp business woman, the head of a company that encouraged innovation and quality products, as well as someone who kept the company going for many decades after Otto's passing —- plus was responsible for more reels we love today coming to fruition.
Read this great, short account —-
And guess what one of her favorite all time personal reels was? A 130 Sailfisher. Large line capacity, tough, light, good gear ratio, able to handle large fish, well balanced with no sideways control issues, harness lugs for additional strength.
Best, Fred
Here is a great, short account —-
https://www.pennfishing.com/martha-henze-the-first-lady-of-penn
Quote from: foakes on March 27, 2023, 09:34:24 PMAnd guess what one of her favorite all time personal reels was? A 130 Sailfisher.
That's a nice write-up with a deserving contributor included.
Also, you add a notable endorsement for this fishing reel. I've heard this mentioned before, but it was in an off-hand comment on another subject. All the more reason to save these from the scrap heap.
One day these will be much more difficult to find.
I have a nice condition 130 with internal drag. I've never cracked it open or fished it. It has that very heavy one piece spool , an aluminum spool would be nice and shave a bunch of weight off it. Nice reel, good to know it's capability
Quote from: Swami805 on March 28, 2023, 06:04:51 AMhave a nice condition 130 with internal drag. I've never cracked it open or fished it. It has that very heavy one piece spool
Yep. Sounds like you have 1st-year plates and the original 3-piece spool was replaced. The new monofilament line ruined the old spools so Penn changed to a chromed cast bronze or brass one in the second year. I have a spool that has a sticker on it indicating it's brass. I don't know when it was made. Anyhow, the 3-piece spools went away. If you do find a used one, it very well could be slightly deformed. If you find a new one, buy it.
Take it apart! Just be careful with the rings. They can be tight. Leave 'em on if you're unsure. Re-seating tight rings all the way around the plates can be a challenge on this reel. If they don't seat correctly, the whole geometry is jacked and the reel won't act right. The reel likes to be square.
The dog spring won't fly off into space because it's secured to a post. They can pop out a little and get deformed during reassembly. The drag stack probably needs attention. If original, they're probably leather and have degraded. You can upgrade or get OEM 130 leather drags real cheap from fishgrain on the bay. Red fiber washers, too. He's a member here, I believe.
If you fish it, PLEASE post pictures of it doing what it's built to do. That would be cool to see.
I had one, built another with OG's help, and sent a third to Fred. Love these reels.
Quote from: thorhammer on March 28, 2023, 12:49:51 PMI had one,
I'm curious as to what lines would have been spooled on these in the 50s...before monofilament. I'd like to set one up with the period-correct line types, put it on an old worn rod, and hang it up on driftwood.
I have enough dull and crusty 130 parts to use for this kind of display. I need to do something with those parts.
I'd have to think dacron would be the best go, these are old enough they may have even had twisted linen.