I asked a VERY well respected member of the forum to help me finish compiling my list of large vintage surf reels that would make a good showing. He turned me onto the Shakespeare Sea Wonder 2080 and 2090 series. I found a good deal on a this Sea Wonder, and she'll be here this upcoming week. As always, anything that anyone can tell me about the reel or about how to properly service her is very welcome!
It will likely be OK, after a good cleaning and service, Josh.
This one looks like it has been used recently — so probably OK.
I have one that had not been used in most likely 30+ years — the cranking was so stiff that I foolishly forced it too much before opening it up — then found it packed full of a very sticky axle grease that had turned to semi-beeswax.
My cranking without inspecting resulted in a broken oscillation block.
It is in a bag for now — until I find the right part.
Best,
Fred
Great choice. Looks like you got a good one. Those old USA made Shakespeares (rods too) are well built and should last a lifetime if taken care of.
Thank you gentleman! About her being fished recently, that was my take, as well. That mono looks pretty bright and fresh. She'll get her turn at the beach, after a thorough cleaning. I have half a dozen reels waiting in line to be taken down and refreshed now. Pics of each teardown will follow.
Fred, I will make certain to not force any reels, going forward. If this reel turns out to need parts, may I come to you?
I do not have any parts supply for these, Josh —
Just a few complete reels that will be made into lamp bases —
It is doubtful that you will need any parts for these — outside of maybe a bail spring, or a new drag stack.
And those parts can be sourced from, or adapted from other similar reels.
If by some doubtful chance, a few more parts were needed — a donor reel would be your best solution.
I have parts for DQ, Mitchell's, Penns, and a few others — but few for the Shakes.
Best,
Fred
Thank you, sir. Do you happen to know if there are any common parts failures on these Sea Wonders to watch out for? None of my vintage reels will get abused, but it's always good to know which parts I should try to pick up just in case.
Those charcoal Shakespeares are built like tanks. If not abused there really aren't any weak spots other than maybe the plastic drag knob cracking. I've only ever seen one cracked, though, but replacement parts are really difficult to find.
Josh, since I haven't seen any Royal Bonnyl in way over a decade, maybe two, you should get a bulk spool of Stren Hi-Vis Gold or Ande Pink in 20 or 25 lb test for these motors you are acquiring (rapidly, i may add :)
To complete the vintage direction. JMO.
Thank you, Tommy!
Thor, I do love me some Ande mono. You're right, I need to outfit all these girls with some proper pink 20lb Ande. And I'm going to use nothing but redheaded pencil poppers just to be really old school. I tried to find an old Lami for a decent price around here but nothing doing, so I bought a 9 ft Daiwa FT fiberglass stick in that retro yellow. The ocean star looks sharp on there already.
As far as the rapidity goes, I hadn't really treated myself to anything fun in a long time, so I figured it was about time. Not including the Penn that the seller backed out on, I'd acquired the DAM Super, the Shakespeare, the Ocean Star, and the Ocean City 320 for just a hair over a C note. I'm not picky about cosmetics so I've been getting alot of reel for my dollar. The hunt continues...
Quote from: thorhammer on April 02, 2019, 02:37:10 AM
Josh, since I haven't seen any Royal Bonnyl in way over a decade, maybe two, you should get a bulk spool of Stren Hi-Vis Gold or Ande Pink in 20 or 25 lb test for these motors you are acquiring (rapidly, i may add :)
To complete the vintage direction. JMO.
I have 2 connected RB spools (? 20 lb. ?), in original (crumbling) plastic case
That's a nice find, Phil. I don't believe I've ever seen this line that Thor is talking about. I grew up on Ande.
Cool reel, Flip, go get her wet son!
I had one of these with box. Fella said it was used. After looking at it I asked, "by who" he said he just made the claim to be on the safe side.
I dont keep reels around just to fondle & stare at. I'll not be a warehouse for someone else after I'm gone.
Reels that dont see much use or have lost their place in my arsenal most of the time go down the road.
Except for a few DAM Quicks & some old Penns. But I look at them. I dont stare.
However that's just me. I do understand people's desire to collect pristine examples of benchmark reels. So this one went to a friend who does this sort of thing.
After he accused me of being a retard for having plans of fishing it.
Ain't life just a kick in the head sometimes ? ... Jeff
Oh, this is a very well made thought out reel. Just as Fred told me.
It was made to fish a couple of lifetimes for the more than average fishing fella... Jeff
I, as well, don't typically collect things that I don't plan on using. Nothing but respect for the people who do have large collections, and I'll probably be there someday, as well. Thus far I've got half a dozen large surf reels en route, and I plan on fishing each one of them in turn. I drive down a beautiful scenic highway that runs along the beach, on my drive home every night. Keeping a rod, reel, and a couple of choice artificials in the passenger seat is my plan after I've got all the girls taken down and properly serviced. I'll be taking a different reel out each week. Also, none of the ones I've picked up are in anywhere near pristine condition. Every single one has chips, corrosion, and some pretty decent wear. I like used reels that show their history.
Just dont stare or fondle them while driving... Jeff
Quote from: Rivverrat on April 03, 2019, 02:35:12 AM
Just dont stare or fondle them while driving... Jeff
:D ;D :D ;) :) ;D ;) :) :D :o ;D :D
I can't promise that.......
The 2080 and the Ocean City 320 came in today. The size and mass difference between the two was surprising. The Sea Wonder feels like she weighs twice as much as the Ocean City. The Ocean City is going to be restored and handled with kid gloves. I opened the case up and sure enough, the housing where one of the bolts that holds the back part of the casing on is broken. It's the second and third picture, below.
The seller offered the reel as parts or repair, so I guess I just lost out on this one. If anyone has any ideas of how to restore her back to functionality, I'm all ears. I've already gently put her back together with all the broken pieces in place.
I posted that last part prematurely, about putting her back together. She fought me tooth and nail, so instead of forcing anything, she now lives disassembled inside an old large coffee can. At least until I can get her restored.
I dont know the full history behind the 320. A lot of people like them because of their unique
shape / style.
I had one a long time ago that I fished & promptly blew up by asking way to much from it.
Hard to tell by the pics but the gears look pretty worn. These reels are not of the best quality.
But hey I fish a few oldies that are far from best. What matters is what you think about it.
You will eventually come across a vintage reel that will be the dogs dangles. That well fits your use.
When you do you'll buy another & another. Unless of course you like variety
I really enjoy having a matching arsenal of good vintage reels all set out in front of me spiked
in the sand... Jeff
QuoteI dont know the full history behind the 320. A lot of people like them because of their unique
shape / style.
Ocean City purchased the Montague Company in the mid '30s. They changed the name to The Montague-Ocean City Rod & Reel Company in '55. They came out with their spinning reel line at about that same time. The 320 was their largest reel and came in black. True Temper purchased Ocean City in '57/'58 & kept the OC name and advertised as Ocean City, True Temper, Montague products of American Tackle Co. At that point the 320 came in a couple of different colors, blue, turquoise green, copper/bronze, yellow & maybe some others. Those usually had a chrome rotor cup. I have seen the 320 with the Montague name, Ocean City name and True Temper Deluxe name. I've never seen one with the Montgomery Ward Sport King name, though.
I'll try to take better pictures of the gear today. To be completely fair to the seller, they offered a full refund including return shipping, but I could tell that they were dealing in good faith so I opted to keep and repair her.
So what should happen next? I found a New Old Stock housing on the big auction site!!! That was nothing short of awesome, because I hadn't seen any other reels for sale so I figured parts would be ridiculously impossible to find.
As far as blowing her up, now that I see how fragile she is, she's going to be light duty only 10 lb test max with light drag setting. I might chase some speckled trout but won't ask her to do more than that. I do like to collect the unique ones, but I bet you're right Jeff, that I'll wind up finding one that just does it for me. Then I'll have a brace of them.
That Sea Wonder, on the other hand.......feels like a truck winch. I bet I could yank a grouper out of a hole with this thing.
Oh, and thank you for sharing that history, Tommy! You guys are a wealth of information on here.
I think that the old grease was making the gear look far more worn that it actually is. I wiped it off as best I could and the edges are nice and sharp. What looks like a nick in one of the gear teeth is just some old crud. The internals look pretty fresh, to be honest, but that's just my inexperienced opinion.
Quote from: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 05, 2019, 03:26:07 PM
To be completely fair to the seller, they offered a full refund including return shipping, but I could tell that they were dealing in good faith so I opted to keep and repair her.
Doesnt this just change things a lot of times, when the seller desires to make things right ?
Nothing has to be over built or the best of it's class to receive the kick in the pants feel some of us get fishing a piece of history that still works. Please post pics when you get this one complete... Jeff
Quote from: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 05, 2019, 03:26:07 PM
That Sea Wonder, on the other hand.......feels like a truck winch. I bet I could yank a grouper out of a hole with this thing.
You're probably right, Flip Flop, here's a pic of a 247 lb marlin caught on a Sea Wonder during the 1960s.
You're absolutely right, Jeff.
And that's an awesome picture. I have no doubt this reel could take on anything I throw at her. She feels sleek and solid, like a Sherman tank. I love the way the reel foot is designed. I've never seen another reel that has a bolt on reel foot.
My new DAM Super got here today, and she's half again as heavy as the Sea Wonder. The Ocean Star is still the biggest of the lot. And the first vintage reel model I ever bought. That old coffee grinder is what got me hooked.
Snapped a quick picture to show the size difference between the DAM Super 270 and the Sea Wonder 2080. I always thought these DAM reels were small freshwater reels, because of the picture of the fish on the side. Don't ask me why that made me think that, but it did, lol. No, these reels are big and solid. That Shakespeare is going to be my ace in the hole for jetty fishing, but that Super is going to spend alot of time hunting the sandbars, something tells me.
When I sit down and look at these reels that are all made in different countries, I see that each one of them brings a subtle difference in approach to the same task. I find it kind of enlightening, in a way. Sorry to be philosophical.
Quote from: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 05, 2019, 10:59:09 PM
No, these reels are big and solid. That Shakespeare is going to be my ace in the hole for jetty fishing, but that Super is going to spend alot of time hunting the sandbars, something tells me.
When I sit down and look at these reels that are all made in different countries, I see that each one of them brings a subtle difference in approach to the same task. I find it kind of enlightening, in a way. Sorry to be philosophical.
I like big spinning reels too. Doesn't matter if they're made in France, USA, Japan, Germany, or wherever if they're solid. I very seldom fish saltwater, but in the tailraces of dams here on the Tennessee and Cumberland River systems often when chunking live or cut bait it takes 4 oz or more of lead. Too rocky to use braid so at least 17 lb mono is the minimum and at times up to 30-40 lb.
That is a far cry from the freshwater fishing we have down here in my part of Florida. It's all ponds and streams, and some small rivers. We probably have some big catfish, but I don't know of anyone who goes chasing them. The Gulf is so close and tempting that everyone I know just goes and hassles the fish offshore or in the surf or Bay. I use 10lb test for the redfish in the bay, 4lb test on my little South bend 720 for speckled trout, and 20lb Ande for anything in the Gulf.
I caught my first sailfish on a Shimano baitrunner using 20lb Ande, and have been a firm believer of it ever since. That was running about 4 miles outside of Jupiter Inlet down near West Palm. I was 11 years old and was on a family friend's 25 foot Contender. Hell of a center console, and a hell of a reel.
Got the Sea Wonder in....
Another major disappointment in the fishing reel world. The cam was sheared off. An otherwise solid looking reel had a massive parts failure. I got the reel, opened her up, and I found out that she was damaged beyond my ability to repair her. I had heard from all quadrants that she was a tough as nails reel and that I could tackle most anything with her. So, I excitedly opened her up to clean her out and take her with me fishing today. You can imagine my feelings when I realized that she was only good for sitting on a shelf, now. This is the fifth major reel disapointment out of nine reels. I'm tempted to throw in the towel.
Well, you can certainly do that. Just try to remember that making use of some old things can be frustrating at times. But for some like myself the kick in the pants from using something that works well even by todays standards is worth it.
I would suggest finding a make of reels that grabs your interest while fitting your criteria. Buying different makes from different makers & planning on using them all regularly can be taxing on your time & resources.
Just a thought... Jeff
Quote from: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 14, 2019, 06:47:43 AM
Got the Sea Wonder in....
Another major disappointment in the fishing reel world. The cam was sheared off. An otherwise solid looking reel had a massive parts failure. I got the reel, opened her up, and I found out that she was damaged beyond my ability to repair her. I had heard from all quadrants that she was a tough as nails reel and that I could tackle most anything with her. So, I excitedly opened her up to clean her out and take her with me fishing today. You can imagine my feelings when I realized that she was only good for sitting on a shelf, now. This is the fifth major reel disapointment out of nine reels. I'm tempted to throw in the towel.
Sorry to hear about this, FlipFlop. That model Sea Wonder you have is older than the models I have. Mine are the Royal Maroons, 2071, 2081, 2081A, 2091 and 2091A. Maybe somebody on here has the part you need. Those grey Sea Wonders are built differently than the later models.
That looks like part X19, level wind yoke is broken. Hopefully someone has a parts reel.
Man, that sucks! :( Parts for those things are tougher to find than Gold Nuggets in CA creeks.
Yeah, I read that parts were impossible to find, so I'm already returning the reel. Oh well, win some, lose some.
I've got a Spinator, and a DAM 270 that myself and my buddy are fishing, plus another strong reel that will be here tomorrow. Also, on the recommendation of a fantastic gentleman on here I got a Heddon 270-r. That reel looks like it was built STRONG. So, I'll have four good strong reels to fish.
The Ocean City 320, the Olympic 83, and the Ocean Star No. 36 are all just display pieces now. If that Penn ever shows up then I'll have five strong reels, so I'll either break even or win, lol.
MY first DAM Quick Super arrived right after yours...and the bail doesn't trip. Bail actions are my Achille's heel. i just hate messing with them but happily tear a Senator into all 100 pieces. I'm gonna give it a look but I'm may be asking for help on this one.
Dont give up on this endeavor. I find it to be a very rewarding venture. One that doesnt have to be all that spendy if you learn as you go. Like I said the few short falls that happen along the way make the ones that fish well all that more enjoyable. If you listen closely & keep at it, you will learn things about yourself as go along. Somethings not so good & others better. I find it to be a truely rewarding thing... Jeff
Thor, I'm glad to hear that you got yours in! I'm also sorry to hear that the bail is wonky. The internals on those reels are insanely well built, though, so I'm confident that it can be repaired.
River, I'm not giving up. I was just disheartened. I tore down my new-to-me Crack 300 and am in love with this design.
Also, I fought that ebay seller and wouldn't let them off the hook like they wanted, so they shipped me my Penn Greenie 704!!!!!
Hard to beat a fishable Penn 704. Not always easy ti find but parts are around.
Never had a Crack spinner they do have a following.
I can see why the Crack has a following, and why the 704 does, as well. They're both big, tough, insanely well built reels.