Why not Ocean City?

oc1 · February 23, 2020, 08:08:18 PM

I spent most my life as a Penn and ABU guy and tended to just follow the crowd when it came to equipment. Growing up on South Texas piers and jetties you would see mostly Penn from 109 to 16/0. There would be a few of those white Garcias and this one guy who swore by Ocean City. He was kind of snooty about it too and would take every opportunity to tell you in exhaustive detail why his Ocean Citys are better than your Penns. Despite all his preaching, there were few, if any, deciples.

Part of it was probably just availability. In our town there was one hardware store and one tackle shop that carried a lot of fishing equipment and reels. Both had the full line of Penn but no Ocean City. It was a situation that fed on itself because if everybody had or wanted Ocean City then that is what the stores would have on the shelf. If you wanted an Ocean City you had to cut the coupon out of a magazine and mail it in to receive a catalog. When the catalog arrived you would fill out the order form and mail it in with a money order or cashiers check. All told, it would be a month or more before you had the reel in hand.

Fast forward to here and now. Here on AT, Mike C. (aka Penn Chronology) has been filling in the details of the Ocean City and Penn relationship. It is clear that Mike has spent a lot of time investigating and pondering this relationship and how the situation has unfolded. Always the follower, I began picking up and dissecting a few OC reels knowing that the history of each one would be described in detail once Mike's new Ocean City book came out. I was not disappointed either because the Ocean City book is every bit as informative as his earlier Penn books with the added bonus of a great mystery, Penn vs. Ocean City.

Much of the AT site is devoted to Penn reels; how to date, repair, modify, collect, etc. The cream-of-the-crop of Penn collectors and mechanics are right here among us. There are six different discussion areas devoted to Penn. By comparison, there is hardly a mention of Ocean City. In that respect, AT is a reflection of the history of the two companies and the great mystery of Penn vs. Ocean City.

Just to stir the pot, sink a spur into the side of Penn affectionados, and spark further discussion consider that:
-   Ocean City reels are built better than Penn Reels. The genious of Otto Henze was not coming up with new concepts, but rather, how to take manufacturing short cuts and cheapen a product without the consumer knowing it.
-   The Ocean City product line was much more diverse than Penn. Ocean City had a reel for every situation and occasion. All the effort to modify penn reels by widening or narrowing had already been done at the factory by Ocean City.
-   Ocean City was a much more innovative company than Penn. Many things we take for granted today were invented at Ocean City.
-   It was only happenstance and marketing that allowed Penn to survive long enough to send their production overseas while Ocean City perished.

-steve

foakes · February 23, 2020, 08:49:57 PM

The OC's are indeed excellent, historical, and durable reels, Steve --

Possibly the main problem has always been (like most other reel manufacturers that have left us) --

Is the non-availability of replacement parts.

Most of these OC reels are currently dirt cheap to purchase, IMO.

Penn had the marketing, and a mindset that would allow replacement parts to be both available for decades -- as well as interchange between models in many cases.

I might have 100 +/- in a few crates -- they make good lamps.

Others will have different and more interesting opinions.

Good subject, Steve!

Best,

Fred

Maxed Out · February 23, 2020, 09:11:34 PM

Otto Henze did work at Ocean city for a few years, and may have used similar ideas in his early reels, but saying a Penn is a cheapened up ocean city is not backed up by any statistics. Penn found a market nitch in midst of the depression, and by simplifying design making Penns more affordable to the masses. It's no mistake that Penn holds more IFGA world records than any other reel. The same simple design is still used in many modern day Penns

Reeltyme · February 23, 2020, 11:47:49 PM

I have worked on many of both makes. I find that while the earlier O.C.'s are of excellent quality, the later 600 series, to me, was very disappointing. I felt that the quality had suffered in a possible attempt to lower the price to compete with Penn. As for the number of models available, O.C. went crazy. Their number of model offerings was so numerous that it became confusing as to which model was needed for what kind of fishing! As for Penn, the smaller amount of choices with quality reels that could be used for a variety of fishing types and conditions made the choice much easier. Buying any Penn reel, for what ever kind of fishing you chose, you were assured of a quality product. It's true that Mr. Henze started off at the O.C. factory and then opened Penn, but I don't believe it was as a cheaper "knock-off" but an improved reel from what O.C. was producing at a more affordable price. Much like Henry Ford and the model "T". A good reliable car or reel, at an affordable price. In taking the two different reels apart, it's easy to see a few quick differences on the heads. The one thing that jumps out as time goes on is that the Penn reel stayed relatively the same from year to year and model to model with relatively few minor changes. O.C. kept changing things as if they just couldn't find the right combination. This information is of course ONLY my personal opinion. I am not saying that the earlier O.C.'s were not a fine quality reel, they were indeed. I believe that O.C. just didn't know how to compete with Penn and their efforts to do so we're not working for business.

happyhooker · February 24, 2020, 02:56:01 AM

We've all seen with many types of products that making a quality, well-built offering is no guarantee of long term success by the manufacturer without the necessary business skills to back it up.

Frank

oc1 · February 24, 2020, 09:45:26 AM

Shoot. I was expecting more irate responses.

Anyway, here's a 150 yard OC Quaker City. I believe it to be from 1931 to 1935.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERa.jpg

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERb.jpg

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERc.jpg

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERd.jpg

It has a Koph-type clutch similar to some early Penn reels. The eccentric lever rotates the entire bridge moving the main gear away from the pinion to disengage them. The yoke-type clutch had not yet appeared. Everything else you should recognize. Bakelite and plated brass.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERe.jpg

I don't know what those drag washers are made of. It's not leather. More like some sort of early plastic.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/QUAKERf.jpg

This rendition of the Quaker City was advertised as a lite reel suitable for weakfish, bonefish and muskie. I've never caught a muskie but have caught plenty of weakfish and bonefish and cannot imagine going after them with a giant reel like this. The difference is not the reel capacity per se but the thick linen line that would have been put on it.

It is called a 150 yard reel without mention of the line size. 150 yards of 12-thread cuttyhunk linen seemed to fill it perfectly. Twelve thread linen is very roughly 36 pound test.
-steve

mo65 · February 24, 2020, 04:21:45 PM

Quote from: oc1 on February 24, 2020, 09:45:26 AM
This rendition of the Quaker City was advertised as a lite reel suitable for weakfish, bonefish and muskie. I've never caught a muskie but have caught plenty of weakfish and bonefish and cannot imagine going after them with a giant reel like this. The difference is not the reel capacity per se but the thick linen line that would have been put on it.

Everything in the known universe seems to start out big...and then get small. When I was a kid candy bars were a foot long. Now they are the size of a breath mint. Look at the transformation of a Cadillac. TV dinners started out a full size meal, and became tiny entrees. Even a dying red giant star becomes a tiny white dwarf. The only thing that actually gets bigger with time is my belly...now I'm rambling...and I've lost my beer...

Midway Tommy · February 24, 2020, 06:09:44 PM

Pour your coffee in the cup, add a little cream, or creamer, add a little sugar, or sweetener, and then, mix it all together with a "Steve Stick".

I like your style, Stevie!

foakes · February 24, 2020, 06:32:50 PM

A long time client of mine fishes 2-3 day trips out of SoCal a few times a year.

80% of the time he primarily fishes Ocean City reels on these trips.

That is what his dad taught him on and used -- so it is kind of a sentimental deal.

He is no Pilgrim -- he is a very good & skilled fisherman -- and enjoys it when he out-fishes his buddies on trips.

Old school...

Everyone else makes fun of him when he pulls out the "Old Meat in the Pot" bumper-car A/R Ocean City reels.

They stop laughing when the fish start coming over the rail.

Of course, they are always serviced before each season and also have CF drags greased with Cal's.

I purposely keep a few extra reels for him to use for parts, if necessary. These reels are tough -- about all that ever wears out are the handle crank knobs and once a stand twisted. The older OC's are stronger than the later ones.

Best,

Fred

Benni3 · February 25, 2020, 01:03:55 AM

I got this ocean city,schullz,freeport it's a 150yd,,,,,

I did come across a Schulz mia hardware store in freeport in 1922,,,,,,

Doesn't make sense,,,,,

but I like the reel and you never know ocean city might make a come back,,,,,

just like Indian motorcycles,,,,,hehe,,,,,,,,,,

Midway Tommy · February 25, 2020, 06:03:40 AM

Quote from: Benni3 on February 25, 2020, 01:03:55 AM
I got this ocean city,schullz,freeport it's a 150yd,,,,, I did come across a Schulz mia hardware store in freeport in 1922,,,,,, Doesn't make sense,,,,, but I like the reel and you never know ocean city might make a come back,,,,, just like Indian motorcycles,,,,,hehe,,,,,,,,,,

Schultz Novelty & Sporting Goods Co. 122 Nassau St. New York City. They had what was called a "Branch:", 5 West Sunrise Highway, Freeport, L. I. Schultz also badged some Penn reels. Schultz didn't want the manufacturer's name on their badged reels.

Reeltyme · February 25, 2020, 12:01:53 PM

Quote from: oc1 on February 24, 2020, 09:45:26 AM
Shoot. I was expecting more irate responses.

-steve

Steve, were all to old to get that excited and our blood pressure medication would go haywire.

alantani · February 25, 2020, 03:16:50 PM

i keep on looking back on these older reels and wonder what it would have been like if stainless steel had been the standard for these reels. it looks like stainless steel has been around since 1913 i'm certain some had done the math and figured out that it wasn't worth it, but imagine what it would be like if all the metal parts in an ocean city were stainless!

Decker · February 25, 2020, 03:44:22 PM

OC1 -- Ocean City #1? Have you been hiding it all these years?

The name has always been near and dear to me, having spent many summers as a kid in Ocean City, New Jersey. Ocean City Maryland isn't too bad either.

oc1 · February 25, 2020, 06:27:36 PM

Here on top is a 100 yard Quaker City of the same vintage. Everything is the same except for width.

I don't know why not stainless. Unless, it is just more difficult to work with than brass.

Here, an OC1 is a one-man outrigger canoe. My primary means of transport.

Philadelphia is known as Quaker City because they settled there first after fleeing religious persecution. "Quaker" was a originally a derogatory euphemism for the Religious Society of Friends because of their ecstatic fits. They would quake in their boots. Something like that wouldn't be politically correct today.

-steve