Flipped my kayak today. Should I get my reels serviced?

My first time flipping the kayak.  (Self-rescue is much harder than I imagined.  Thanks to my friends for saving me.)  I had 2 reels with me.  A Diawa Saltist (baitcaster) and a low end Shimano spinning reel.  I put it in hot water and opened it up to dry.  I've heard that maybe I should get it serviced?  If i should, any recommendations near San Jose or the Peninsula? 

Welcome to the club! It just goes to show that self rescue is a skill that while 'simple' should be practiced for when you need it. I flipped my yak last year in Santa Cruz and was glad to have practiced. I'm glad to hear things turned out well for you.

As for your reels, I think it probably depends how long they were submerged and what you did to them afterwards. A good heavy rinse with fresh water is a good idea, along with a lube job. The saltist and other non-spinning reels are easy enough to take apart and clean but spinning reels can be a bit tricky to get back together. I think you can probably skip sending them in for service unless you see obvious signs of wear, but others may have different opinions.

What if the guy you were with couldn't help you?

Practice self rescue until you feel confident to do so solo without the aid of others. Your life may depend on it one day.

Most important thing to do is not to panic.

Rinse, dry then lube your reels they should be fine.

Glad you are safe.

When you rinse after a reel goes under, do you rinse under running water or dunk it in fresh water?

When you rinse after a reel goes under, do you rinse under running water or dunk it in fresh water?

I rinse it hard with the garden hose, then I soak it for a day in a bucket. I have a Revo Toro 60 that broke recently that I need all the small parts for due to salt abuse.

To the OP, every time you fish the salt your reel will be soaked just like when you flipped, even if you don't flip. That means every time  you  fish in the salt your reel should be completely rinsed like you flipped. 

Kayakfishing is hard on reels.  Heavy rinse with hose will keep the easy to get parts clean of salt but the the small bearings and bushing are gonna take a beating...even without flipping...I definitely recommend a breakdown and thorough clean and greasing periodically.  You should check out alantani.com

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=110.0

My first time flipping the kayak.  (Self-rescue is much harder than I imagined.  Thanks to my friends for saving me.)  I had 2 reels with me.  A Diawa Saltist (baitcaster) and a low end Shimano spinning reel.  I put it in hot water and opened it up to dry.  I've heard that maybe I should get it serviced?  If i should, any recommendations near San Jose or the Peninsula?

What happened exactly that caused you to flip?...

I soft rinse and soak after every salt trip and lube as needed, before I started kayaking and still do, only service my reels at the end of the season, unless damaged  if your in the South Bay you can look up Alan Tani or find his tutorials on you tube.

I soft rinse and soak after every salt trip and lube as needed, before I started kayaking and still do, only service my reels at the end of the season, unless damaged  if your in the South Bay you can look up Alan Tani or find his tutorials on you tube.

Agreed:  I dunk mine because high pressure drives water past where it will naturally go.  Since you're in SJ, the water down there is crazy hard and it will leave gnarly mineral deposits deep inside your reel's most difficult to reach places if you spray it.  1x or 2x a year teardown and re-grease is what I've been advised to follow by my reel manufacturer, who also said that saltwater is just hard on reels and they will wear out faster than freshwater users' reels, so spend your money wisely.  I suspect that distilled water for the dunking would be a good idea.

I love doing yard sales. Never a problem getting back in , of course its easier if you just let everything go to the bottom of the ocean. That way nothing to service either

What happened exactly that caused you to flip?...

It was a total noob move.  I just caught a big vermillion (21 inch).  The lid to the cooler was a bit sticky and next thing I know Im in the water.  My 3 friends (in kayaks) came over right away.  Since I watched a lot of videos I was sure I could do a self rescue.  But between the pfd, wetsuit, and waves, I just couldn't do it.  Eventually I let my friends helped me in.  Lesson here was: Kayak with buddies, actually practice self-rescue, keep your lures secured, and secure the lid on your cooler.  I didn't mind getting wet, but it was so painful when i realized all my fish and bait were no longer in the cooler.  The only upside was that I managed to hold on to the vermillion. 

Congrats on the verm!

You know what to practice in the off season. I'll echo tha rec to visit Alan tani website. It's a goldmine of relevant info. But seriously, learn how to self rescue by going out and actually doing it. Do it several times. Do it when the boat is upside down. Just practice getting the boat uprights and then getting into the boat.

Nice verm!

Soft rinse, and a dunk and lube. But I fish old penns, they are pretty bullet proof.

u can use saltaway solution to soak your reels in to break down the salt
http://www.saltawayproducts.com/FishingPage.htm