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i've had a vs250 for 5+ years now and it gets fished hard in the spring and really hard in the fall. i bought a second 250 last year.
my vs250 has never let me down. i have never had a problem with it and i did send mine back each year for the servicing, which i do not mind in the least. my reel is under water the majority of the time i take it out fishing as i wade to my rocks and the rod is used as a cane for balancing myself as i wade out between rocks. how many times have i gone night to night w/o rinsing the reel and fished it again the following night w/o an issue. i used to love my penn z's, but they cannot do that night after night w/o servicing the drags and cleaning the gear case every other week. that alone is worth the money to me and the reason why i bought one in the first place. it's all in what and how you value your time and fishing experiences.
i cannot comment on a zee bass. it seems like it may be a nice alternative, but the model i had in my hands 2 years ago was too small for my taste. i also didnt like the 2 rollers. maybe the new larger model coming out will be a nice option. time will tell. as far as i am concerned, the reel is still new to the market. the diawa saltiga hit the surf w/ high hopes, but i have seen several fail, break, or have some issue. those 3 reels are the only true reels that i have seen that can handle the extremes of serious surf fishing - wetsuitting, skishing, and a pounding surf.
no, you do not need a vs for the boat, but it does serve the purpose just fine. i know of many large sb and school tuna handled by the reels. if you think this is a lot of money for a reel, go check out the high end freshwater baitcasters.
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