Help, Baitcaster Went For A Swim & Need Advice

[coachdog]

Embarrassed but while casting from the bank tonight. I somehow lost grip  on my rod (too much KVD over spray maybe) and managed to launch it into the water in front of me. I picked it up pretty quickly but the reel definitely took on water. I removed the side plate and spool and drained as much water as I could. I reassemble and casted and reeled in a few times and there is a noticeable grind on the handle side of the reel. Reel is Abu revo s gen3. It is my first baitcaster and I have no experience with taking them apart. I realize it probably needs to be sent out to be cleaned but what steps should I take before doing so to ensue no internal corrosion occurs. I have the owners manual and schematic. What should I do?

[Brian6428]

I have submerged my reel (Abu garcia silver max) multiple times, usually putting my rod underwater to try and free a snagged lure in shallow water. I personally haven't done anything after submerging it. If this isn't right, hopefully somebody will tell us what is, but the reel still operates just fine. That said I oil and lube it religiously and overall take great care of it.

 

Edit: As far as taking it apart, if you are mechanically inclined you could probably do it yourself, but if I had a reel that nice I would send it off to Delaware Valley Tackle (Site sponsor) to have them do it right. I service mine myself and now am completey comfortable doing it, but when i first took it apart I messed up the threading on the bolt the handle goes on, and now my handle is always a little loose and crooked lol. Still works good though. If you do take it apart, watch bassresource videos on youtube for how to do it.

 

Brian

[bigbill]

I been taking my baitcaster reels apart and I would use a cookie pan with the sides so any parts that try to get away will be captured in the pan. I also lay down a paper towel to line up the parts as there removed from the reel. I make a row of the parts from the right to left as I disassemble them. To reassemble it I go from the left to right.

It's not hard to do just go slow. Bigbill

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

A dunk in clear water isn't usually critical. A rinse, air dry and drop of oil on the bearings and worm shaft would get you by until service time. In this case, since there is grinding I recommend and immediate deep cleaning before any more use. To send it in, just box it up securely and mail along with a work order from our website.

[Khong]

Embarrassed but while casting from the bank tonight. I somehow lost grip  on my rod (too much KVD over spray maybe) and managed to launch it into the water in front of me. I picked it up pretty quickly but the reel definitely took on water. I removed the side plate and spool and drained as much water as I could. I reassemble and casted and reeled in a few times and there is a noticeable grind on the handle side of the reel. Reel is Abu revo s gen3. It is my first baitcaster and I have no experience with taking them apart. I realize it probably needs to be sent out to be cleaned but what steps should I take before doing so to ensue no internal corrosion occurs. I have the owners manual and schematic. What should I do?

 

Dip it into Isopropyl alcohol for a couple of minute and let it dry overnight if you are really afraid of rust.

[coachdog]

Thanks all! I watched the bassresource video as recommended and removed the handle and handle side cover in an orderly fassion and placed all parts lined upin order of disassembly on a white towel in a small pan as suggested. I used a qtip to remove all visible crud  and left open to dry last night. Need to get oil today for bearings and worm drive and reassemble. Will send to DVT as recommended for deep cleaning. I believe the grinding maybe sand as where the incident happened was a sandy bottom beach area.

 Thanks again.

[skeletor6]

The main priorities here are 1.) you get the reel dry and free of water and 2.) Serviced, preferably by a professional

 

1.) I would take the reel apart as much as possible and place it in a vacuum oven @ 0.1atm and @ 37.78 degrees celsius for 1 hour. If you do not have this equipment available then you can use chemicals that do not harm the metal that will displace water. Various hydrocarbon solvents will do the trick. However, this method is aggressive and the wrong solvent could dissolve plastics and some essential oils which lubricate the reel and, also, protect the metal from the natural oxidation process. 

 

Optional methods would be to use a blow dryer. If a female is handy. It is about time you borrow something of theirs, and that's what they're for right?

 

2.) Mike @ DVT is a board sponsor and gets recommended often for reel maintenance, upgrades and servicing.

 

In all honesty, if it were me my thoughts would be to get the reel in a situation where no more harm would be caused. This would require disassembling the reel and drying it out. A blow dryer is more than sufficient. Just make sure it is completely dry, at all places. Oil will displace water, if you feel you can't dry some places, or there are some vulnerable places, give it some standard oil like the one that shimano provides with it reels or something similar. The professional reel mechanic will clean out any unnecessary places you oiled.

 

But the most important thing you need to do is get it to a professional reel mechanic as fast as possible.