Advice Sonik SKS Black Beach 13ft

[paddyeds]

Having had a break from Beach casting for about 10 or so years I have been doing a spot of lure fishing for a couple of years with varying success.
I have now found a couple of new guys who want to go beach fishing and have dug out my old gear and been a few times.

For Christmas I splashed out on a new rod as a backup to me old Daiwa Supercasts and fancied a rod that could be used with multi and fixed spool. A reasonably priced Sonik SKS Black Beach 13ft.

Saturday was my first chance to try it and decided to use my new penn fathom on it.

Winding up the sliding reel seat I noticed the reel was loose and spinning on the handle no matter how I tight I went, then 'Snap' the lock ring snapped in half and that was that, rod back in the bag.

I contacted the supplier who sent me a new reel seat without hesitation and told me to build up the blank with some insulation tape, tried that last night and it still doesnt work with the fathom. I tried a fixed spool and that hardly clamps down either.

My solution has been to wrap insulation tape around the reel seat to lock it in position.

My problem with this is that I now have a brand new unused shiny rod that is held together with bloody insulation tape, looks rubbish in my opinion.

I know I could use coasters with the multi but I predominantly bought the rod so my Son or daughter could use it fixed spool when they come along.

Look forward to giving it a chuck this weekend.

Anyone out there found a good strong solution to the crap sliding reel seat problems? I have bought an ABU sliding reel seat which seem a better clamping system but it hasnt arrived yet.

Looks like tape it is for now.

 

[Trampster]

Never had any Sonik gear, and don't use sliding reel seats. However, I'm sure I read some posts somewhere about Sonik beachcasters being prone to snapping. Someone else will conform or deny.

I've just googled "Sonik fishing rods breaking" and it seems there were reports on 'that other forum'. Not posting links to the opposition!

 

[J Richards]

Sonik are OK and do have issues with snapping. I have heard people complaining about the reel seats. One way to get over it is by adding heat shirnk where you the reel to sit. Not ideal i know but better than tape etc.

 

[paddyeds]

What I noticed is when using the penn fathom is the cutout part of the reel seat designed to press into the blank when tightening down doesn't actually move before the clamps bottom out. Obviously not designed to work together due to the very slim nature of the penn reel seat.

 

[chesilpete]

Jason's right about putting shrink in the right place on the blank you can also put a couple of layers on the reel seat do both and it will work.But honestly it's easier to put a foot of jap shrink on the blank and use breakaway coasters. I personally like to be able to locate my finger between the coasters it gives me more purchase.

 

[welshtroutfisher]

Have this issue with my century rods using the sliding reel seat and the penn fathoms. Seems the only way around it is insulation tape or a coaster- I use a coaster as it allows me to undo it and move the seat if need be.

 

[paddyeds]

I have bought an abu sliding reel seat 26mm from a tackle shop on ebay. It locks on solid to the blank with the two taper locks one each end. Takes the fathom and locks down nicely. Works with all my reels.
Cheers

 

[Angrybear]

There are different types of sliding reel seat, some use the reel foot to squeeze the clamp on to the rod, my guess is this is the type that doesn't work with your reels,
Others like the ABU & I think the Penn, have a screw clamp each end to tighten to the rod then the reel clamps in a normal screw fitting.
Of course you still need to measure the butt & buy the correct size internal bore.

 

[nearly70ty]

The Penn slidding reel seat locks down and doesn't move, It is a bit bulky but once your use to it, it's good.

 

[Wolf]

I've got 4 of them,I use coasters on mine

 

[LeighamFox]

Having had a break from Beach casting for about 10 or so years I have been doing a spot of lure fishing for a couple of years with varying success.
I have now found a couple of new guys who want to go beach fishing and have dug out my old gear and been a few times.

For Christmas I splashed out on a new rod as a backup to me old Daiwa Supercasts and fancied a rod that could be used with multi and fixed spool. A reasonably priced Sonik SKS Black Beach 13ft.

Saturday was my first chance to try it and decided to use my new penn fathom on it.

Winding up the sliding reel seat I noticed the reel was loose and spinning on the handle no matter how I tight I went, then 'Snap' the lock ring snapped in half and that was that, rod back in the bag.

I contacted the supplier who sent me a new reel seat without hesitation and told me to build up the blank with some insulation tape, tried that last night and it still doesnt work with the fathom. I tried a fixed spool and that hardly clamps down either.

My solution has been to wrap insulation tape around the reel seat to lock it in position.

My problem with this is that I now have a brand new unused shiny rod that is held together with bloody insulation tape, looks rubbish in my opinion.

I know I could use coasters with the multi but I predominantly bought the rod so my Son or daughter could use it fixed spool when they come along.

Look forward to giving it a chuck this weekend.

Anyone out there found a good strong solution to the crap sliding reel seat problems? I have bought an ABU sliding reel seat which seem a better clamping system but it hasnt arrived yet.

Looks like tape it is for now.

Yeah spend £100 on a new rod and use insulation tape to make it usable.

I'd send it straight back as not fit for purpose.

As a retailer I'd send them all back. For the same reason. Wouldn't want to taint my business knowingly selling shoddy shite.

 

[Angrybear]

Yeah spend £100 on a new rod and use insulation tape to make it usable.

I'd send it straight back as not fit for purpose.

As a retailer I'd send them all back. For the same reason. Wouldn't want to taint my business knowingly selling shoddy shite.

How is the rod not fit for purpose, just because a specific reel doesn't fit ???

I've had to use insulation tape to fit a £1000+ night vision add-on to a £500 telescopic rifle scope in the past
Doesn't mean anything was wrong with either of them, they just didn't happen to fully tighten together as a pairing,
2 or 3 turns of tape & it all snugged up perfect.

 

[flappy]

I thought all reel seats were the same size.. I for one have never seen a reel that didn’t fit on a rod.

 

[Angrybear]

I thought all reel seats were the same size.. I for one have never seen a reel that didn’t fit on a rod.

Not with sliding reel seats, as I have already said above #8 and on other threads, there are different fixing styles which may not work with a specific reel.
A/ ABU/Penn clamp each end with a separate reel clamp.
B/ Tronix use a coaster to clamp to the rod with a separate reel clamp
C/ This type rely on the reel foot pressing down on the 'tongue' to lock on to the butt as the single clamp is tightened,
but if the reel seat is too thin or does not have enough round profile, it can't press down hard enough to grip the rod.

I don't have a Fathom but from the pictures I've seen it has quite a thin, low profile foot, but fairly bulky V cage, so it may not work with some sliding or bulky seat types, and might need a different seat or coasters only on a specific rod.
ie; It might be the V of the cage is fouling the seat 'cups' before they can press down on the metal foot.
That doesn't mean either rod, reel or seat is faulty, it just means that they don't work as a combination.

 

[LeighamFox]

How is the rod not fit for purpose, just because a specific reel doesn't fit ???

I've had to use insulation tape to fit a £1000+ night vision add-on to a £500 telescopic rifle scope in the past
Doesn't mean anything was wrong with either of them, they just didn't happen to fully tighten together as a pairing,
2 or 3 turns of tape & it all snugged up perfect.

Your choice. You carry on bodging it up with sticky tape. I'll return mine and get something thats fit for purpose.