Over time I see that a lot of Van Staal owners send their reels back yearly for service.

Are they doing this because they need repairs?
Are they doing this as preventative maintenance?

Repairs, okay I can understand but if going back for annual maintenance, why?

I have three Van Staals and never had to send them back. However, as with all my reels, including my 30 year old + Penns I give them a good rinse after every fishing trip and lightly lube them once a month.

Sending the reels back is necessary to keep the warranty in tact, but if you send it back, you can pay for them to put it back under warranty by making whatever repairs necessary. I don't send mine back either unless there's a problem, and my 150 has to go back this year. The way I see it, it's more cost effective to send them back only when broken than to pay $50 for each reel yearly.

"The way I see it, it's more cost effective to send them back only when broken than to pay $50 for each reel yearly."[/QUOTE]

Yep, that's exactly the way I see it also.

Zee Baas implies you should send the reel back to them yearly as well. They suggest you can service it yourself, but as of the time I bought mine (this spring) they were unable to provide a schematic, parts list, or instructions. Hopefully this has changed, I have not tried to find out yet. Buying and using these reels requires a whole different mind set than buying a 700 Penn.

Along the same lines, after frying my Canon elph, I bought an Olympus W60 waterproof camera thinking I'd be all set. Their warranty also indicates that returning the camera to them yearly for seal replacement at an additional cost is "advised". Got a feeling I know where that is heading. :af:

Complicated has it's disadvantages.
Shut up, Flap.

I prefer to send my VS back annually for preventive maintenance because of the abuse I give it whether it be splashes,dunks,swimming with it and how I will drop my rod/reel onto sand to unhook fish. I bought to beat on it.

I think my VS 200 this year has been a true testament to the durability of them ( know little about the Zeebas as they are new and out of my price range).
I (OK, my wife) bought me the reel last spring. I beat the BAG out of the thing last season. Fished 5-7 nights a week, swimming, dunking, smashing, bashing, and catching. I NEVER rinsed it off even once all year. I sent it back to them for the yearly maintence. Well they replaced just about everything inside of it just to be on the preventive side so it wouldn't break down when you needed it most.
This year on the 2nd night of commercial season it started making a terrible sound and didn't feel right. Went back to where I bought it and they simply said it has no oil\ lube inside of it. Guess I blew a seal. Asked what my option was and they said to mail it back. I needed the thing yesterday cause it is my money maker. I couldn't be without it for 6 weeks. They need a local service place for them cause I am lucky I can pick my nose, never mind take a VS apart and put it back together the right way. They said just fish it the way it is until it seizes. Well, I have continued to beat the bag out of the thing and fish without any lube in it and it hasn't failed me yet (knock on wood). My feelings are that if the lube came out, then salt water must be getting into it when i swim with it and use it as a push pole.
I am very interested to see what the parts inside look like by the end of the season.
I think it will have been cheaper to pay the $50 a year than what the bill is gonna be for it.

Sending the reels back is necessary to keep the warranty in tact, but if you send it back, you can pay for them to put it back under warranty by making whatever repairs necessary. I don't send mine back either unless there's a problem, and my 150 has to go back this year. The way I see it, it's more cost effective to send them back only when broken than to pay $50 for each reel yearly.

I thought that it was only a one year warranty nowadays anyway :confused:

I thought that it was only a one year warranty nowadays anyway :confused:

That was my impression. DO they renew the year warranty after they service it?

That was my impression. DO they renew the year warranty after they service it?

After looking at the warranty info online, it looks like you're right. Just one year, maintenance or not.

But the warranty doesn't cover abuse anyhow, and the way most of us fish with them probably borders on that.:wave:

hey guys

i don't know if this helps but rivers end in old saybrook is now a certified vs repair shop.

don't know if they can fix a reel while you wait but you might be able to call ahead and line something up.

p.s.
redlite
now that you've taken over gods spot you should be able to whipup a backup.

matt