Zee Baas - The Successor to the VS

[PLASTICPIRATE]

I was in a Connecticut tackle shop yesterday. The owner said he already has deposits for the 1st 5 reels he can get his hands on. He is selling them for over 1500.00.

[wader-dad]

I met Robert W Koelewyn, the designer and maker ane say the reel at Pat Abate's surf show today. I was very impressed with him. I did not get the feeling he was designing some chi chi reel to sucker yuppies- but that he decided to in his mind design the very best reel he could imagine bringing together his vast experience at Van Staal and as the owner of an aerospace manufacturing machine shop. He put alot of thought into the reel which looks like it is a peice of a blackhawk helicopter. Workmanship is amazing. If I had a ton of money I would think about it. But I don't. Again, I think the guy has the proper intentions. The price I think was $1200.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by wader-dad

I met Robert W Koelewyn, the designer and maker ane say the reel at Pat Abate's surf show today. I was very impressed with him. I did not get the feeling he was designing some chi chi reel to sucker yuppies- but that he decided to in his mind design the very best reel he could imagine bringing together his vast experience at Van Staal and as the owner of an aerospace manufacturing machine shop. He put alot of thought into the reel which looks like it is a peice of a blackhawk helicopter. Workmanship is amazing. If I had a ton of money I would think about it. But I don't. Again, I think the guy has the proper intentions. The price I think was $1200.

Sort of depends on your definition of "the proper intentions". Might I suggest that designing and building a Ferarri, where price is no object, is a much easier (and infinitely less useful) task than designing and building a Toyota? The fishing world needs better 706s, not better Van Staals.

[wader-dad]

Don't get me wrong-I will be the first one to buy a dunkproof 706z which is what I need. However, it is nice to know that american craftmanship and enginnering is alive an well in a factory in Milford Connecticut. Even though this guy is sparing no expense, what he made could not be considered easy. My timex watch is waterproof and tells time and that is all that I need. But it ok by me that there are a few Patek Phillipe masterpeices out there to advance the art of watchmaking.