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The Saltiga Surf is an inferior reel trading on the Saltiga name. Spend the extra on the real thing. The Surf has a magnesium body, and may corrode fast if the finish gets damaged on the rocks, and an aluminum main gear. In addition, it is not sealed. The 4500-Z Saltiga is the best all-around size for general surf use. The 5000 is as heavy as the 6000 and the Dogfight at 29-30 oz, while the 4500 is closer to 20 oz.
As far as the Catalina goes, WoodyCT got a lemon. The bail assembly fell apart on him the first or second time out. The Catalina is not sold in the US market, so you are at the mercy of online dealers who may or not be scrupulous. Woody had a hell of a time getting satisfaction from that retailer. It may be an isolated incident--from the pictures he posted, it looked to me like someone previously bought the reel, and returned it after playing with the bail assembly and losing a part. The box that the reel came in had been damged. But even if that was the case, you may have problems getting parts and service for it from Daiwa warranty centers, or even from Daiwa USA.
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