Washing reels

[Fin Reaper]

End of each season I go over the rods and exterior
of the reels with wax (corrosion X makes a good one)
and after each trip they go in the shower with me
which my wife still shakes her head at but hey...it works.

[RussH]

I only take the actual RODS in the shower with me. The reels I remove after each trip. Wet a papertowel down and wipe as clean as I can. I then loosen the drag if appropriate and store back in their box/bag.

I never spray direct water on my reels. That seems silly. But wiping down with a wet rag, that's how my grandfather taught me 23 years ago. So it seems to work okay. Also, most reels are aluminum now anyway, can't really corrode that. It's brass and steel that tarnish/rust respectively.

[joeya78]

I wash my reels and generally get at least 8 years out of most of them. Imagine not washing yourself after getting misted with salt water all day....nasty feeling! I always wash my reels and rods with fresh water and grease them a couple of times a year

[JD in Trenton]

Here's something by Alan Tani on lubes to use. The Yamaha Multi Purpose Grease is made for salt water, will not wash out, and best of all is cheap. I feel that applying it you will prevent water from entering the reel from ocean spray or washing.

[JD in Trenton]

forgot the link http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=50.0

[JD in Trenton]

Here's something by Alan Tani on lubes to use. The Yamaha Multi Purpose Grease is made for salt water, will not wash out, and best of all is cheap. I feel that applying it you will prevent water from entering the reel from ocean spray or washing.

[Captain Ahab]

Penn recommends that you do not ever spray the reel but rather give it a soak in fresh water to get out the salt from both the reel and line. You can do this with the reel on the rod(s) using a cooler filled with fresh water.


Works for me

[Pete]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

All reels are bound to corrode if proper maintenance isn't performed. ESPECIALLY SALTWATER REELS! But, first and foremost preventive maintenance is the key to a long reel life. The single most important method of prevention is lubrication. Oh yeah, most guys do grease and oil where directed according to the manufacturer, at least once a year. But, only on the moving parts. All inner metal parts should get a protective light coat of a good salt inhibiting grease, yamaha marine is an excellent example, as well as grease the drag washers. Although, those should get a drag specific grease. The drag washers if other than carbon fiber should be switched out, to carbon fiber and greased. All screwholes should get a drop of grease as well to prevent siezing. There are many sites with tutorials on how to do this. It ain't rocket science guys. Sure, all those little parts can be intimidating, but if done in sections, it becomes simple. And furthermore, rewarding, and rather economic as well.

As previously posted, Alan Tani is a real, reel guru. His website can make even the most mechanically challenged, a reel repair pro in no time. Any questions you may have can and will be answered, by experts, shortly after the question is posted. His website is in a previous reply in this thread.

If you have simply just regreased and or oiled your bearings for the past five years or so, without salt inhibiting grease or oils. Or just kept piling it on chances are that your bearings are rust corroded and now siezed. (Gobs of grease give a place for the salt to attach. In this case more is not better.) And, reduced to nothing more than bushings. The simplest way to know this is if when the reel has just been lubed, you put her in freespool and let the line drop to the ground using a sinker. If the spool moves ever so slowly, it is likely you have a bearing problem. No need for panic. They can be degreased, and then re-greased. However, if they are badly corroded. They will need replacement. Bearings are not a bank breaker, but depending on what type you use for replacement, and how many are needed it can mount up and some reels have as many as eight roller bearings.

Anyway, I'm getting long winded. I could go on and on, how to best care for reels. But, my point is a properly lubed reel will last forever, with proper preventive maintenance.

I always rinse my reels with a light spray. Or, in the winter toss them in the shower. Light spray is the key here. Blasting her with a hose will only remove the applied greases and oils that you took the time to apply. Store the reel with the drags loosened and in an upright position, as if you were fishing with it. Some reels have drain weep holes in their bottoms which will enable the now diluted salt water to exit the reel.

As to the previous poster, regarding the soaking of Penn reels. If the reels are greased in the aforementioned manner. That would be an excellent way to rid the salt. That is if all the inner metal has been greased. If not you still open yourself up to corrosion issues. Most Penn reels only come with a one year warranty. What happens in the subsequent years when you followed their instructions and your anti reverse bearing fails. I believe it will be your turn to pony up. Prevention is the key to success! Now getting the fish to cooperate with your now properly lubricated reel. That's another story!

Reels are machines. Not unlike cars. Hell, I've even seen a Rolls Royce or two on a towtruck. Bring along a spare rod and reel, as a backup for the unknown. AAA doesn't do reels!

Oh yeah, sorry, one more thing. Don't lube the plastic parts, especially the gears. It will only gum up and give the salt, dirt and grime a place to attach. Again, a light rinse will remove the salt from those parts.

Catch 'em up!

Pete

[Pete]

Originally Posted by JD in Trenton

Here's something by Alan Tani on lubes to use. The Yamaha Multi Purpose Grease is made for salt water, will not wash out, and best of all is cheap. I feel that applying it you will prevent water from entering the reel from ocean spray or washing.

The grease doesn't prevent the water from coming in. Nothing can. Reels are full of gaps, nooks and crannies. Think about how much spray you reel takes on over the course of a season. The grease doesn't allow the salts a place to attach. And, yes the yamaha grease applied to all your bare, dry metal, will adhere nicely and in all likelihood remain there throughout countless light freshwater rinses.

Hope this helps.

[Kup]

I spray my reels liberally with WD40 and wipe clean.