[Casting Z's]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Um, you're a little wrong on your facts there

Van Staal was sold because it went under. Tits-up, toes-up, however you like to refer to it. It was an aerospace contractor that made fishing reels as a sideline. The whole company went into Chapter 11 many years before Zee Baas was even a blip on the horizon. Reel Ventures LLC bought the fishing reel line. They made the reels in Mass. somewhere for several years Then they sold to WC Bradley, the parent compnay of Zebco/Quantum/Finnor et al. That sale had nothing to do with Rob, and I doubt he got anything out of it, including the start-up capital to start Zee Baas. I don't know what he did after VS, but obviously, it had something to do with engineering. He's always loved fishing, and I think he got a bigger kick out of making the reels than he ever did making aircraft parts.

There was some unpleasantness surrounding the sale of VS to Zebco, but again, that had nothing to do with Rob.

Had no idea those where the facts! But then again, I try to fish more than researching a manufacturers history.