Okuma Catalina Line Counter - Some Assembly Required

Let me start by saying I have been spoiled working on easy take down reels like my Avet, Penn and Newell's. I bought my Okuma Catalina Line Counter CT-15D as a less expensive replacement for a Shimano Tekota lost at sea last year. As Alan Tani says pick a reel that you can maintain yourself, however, it is hard to know how difficult it will be until you crack it open. I will say that from a performance and construction standpoint, it holds it's own against the Tekota, however, from a maintenance standpoint, it was a real challenge to completely disassemble and reassemble. I am no Alan Tani, but just the number of screws and small loose parts was over the top, IMO. Total time was over an hour to give it the full Tani treatment. I still like the reel, but this is not an easy one to maintain.

Scott

As long as you didn't have any left over parts is what counts. On a side note the couple of reels that I have taken apart I can usually find the parts schematic online. I not sure if this one is available but it sure makes it a whole hell of a lot easier.

Ok I found one of the links

http://www.mikesreelrepair.com/schematics/

Here is the schematic for that reel.

how'd you lose the tekota?

Thanks Abdiver. I actually had the diagram. The problem was figuring out the order to reassemble and how to orient the reel. The worm shaft gear (705) and idle gear (706) are not attached and worm shaft (712) easily slides out to the right. Therefore it is easy for the worm shaft gear to pop loose which means you have to take down the left side to put the gear back in place. I could go on and on about how stuuuupid some of the internal design is by I won't because the reel performs really well if maintained properly and I like the Okuma company because they make good products at a reasonable price and value yak anglers as customers. Now that I have it down, doing the full Tani should take less than and hour.

John - I lost the Tekota last year at the cap du nord. I was done fishing and was putting my equipment away while at the same time talking to JTF. It was a moderate mixed swell and a rogue swell flipped me. Got caught looking the wrong way at the wrong time. Live and learn. That is why I don't access my hatch on the water even though others think that is stupid. 

Scott

John - I lost the Tekota last year at the cap du nord. I was done fishing and was putting my equipment away while at the same time talking to JTF. It was a moderate mixed swell and a rogue swell flipped me. Got caught looking the wrong way at the wrong time. Live and learn. That is why I don't access my hatch on the water even though others think that is stupid. 

Scott

well, that is some bad luck. so your boat actually flipped? or you just fell off? in theory, can't you right the boat, and pump the water out with a bilge pump? do you have one of those? I actually do not, but since I do open my hatch on the water, clearly I should have one of those things. I do have a big sponge,  .