Hi there- 

This is an odd question… not actually a fishing question.
 I’m looking for a bait caster reel that I can crank backwards. I built a treehouse for my kids and I want to use a bait caster reel as a winch for a bucket that goes up and down the treehouse. 
I have a Penn peer No. 209 but the problem with it is, you cannot crank it backwards. I think by design for safety reasons the salt water baitcast reels don’t crank backwards.

So, i’m looking to find an inexpensive bait caster reel on eBay that can serve this purpose for me, to crank it forward and backwards to raise and lower a bucket like a winch. 
I realize this is a different kind of question you usually get, but I thank you very much for your time. 
 

jack
 

 

6 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Penn 49 or 49L, has separate levers for engaging gearing and AR. Originally designed for vertical wire jigging and bottom bouncing (essentially King Kong drop shotting). 

I just thought of something, you could use your 209, and crank the bucket up, and use the drag to ease the bucket down.

9 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I just thought of something, you could use your 209, and crank the bucket up, and use the drag to ease the bucket down.

What about a small trailer winch? Darn you! now I'm not going to stop thinking about this!

Look at antique baitcasters. 

Anti-reverse and even freespool wasn't the norm until Ambassadeur. 

 

For example, check out this old Pflueger Alpine on ebay.  Large diameter for big cuttyhunk linen line - you could use heavy mono or big dacron braid. 

Good handle and leverage. 
No freespool, no anti-reverse, and a simple clicker. 

Even a leather thumb-brake. 

 

 

You can finish your crane using a short, heavy-action boat rod. 

 

In a smaller reel, old Lew's BB-1 are reversible with a select-slide button, but the anti-reverse dog is prone to fail. 

And maybe use a hula hoop to mark where the children should stand directly under the bucket, and use fluoro if they've been bad...

and people complain about kitty torture jokes. 

 

  

How about a baitcaster with AR clutch/mechanism removed? How much weight are we talking here? Just simple 1:1 winch reel like this might  be better choice???

https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-marine-electric-winch-61237.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12234957525&campaignid=12234957525&utm_content=122519897452&adsetid=122519897452&product=61237&store=445&gclid=CjwKCAjwjZmTBhB4EiwAynRmD0mwNOkwQOj8axdX5KOkmtsaIrNVlPud6LXwGyF7qvbH459mYn2NShoC32gQAvD_BwE

You can remove the anti reverse dog from the Penn 209, it doesn’t have a AR locking bearing. Now it’s a knuckle buster!

Tom

2 hours ago, WRB said:

You can remove the anti reverse dog from the Penn 209, it doesn’t have a AR locking bearing. Now it’s a knuckle buster!

Tom

Hi!  How do I remove the anti reverse dog?

I found this video that talks about setting the anti-reverse dog...

Thank you

 

 

Older Penn salt water reels are really easy to work on. Just find the part in the schematic, (or open it and find it) and take it out. It's the little clicker (dog) that moves up and down on the ratcheting gear. We used to completely service those reels in like 10 minutes.

On 4/25/2022 at 1:43 PM, WRB said:

You can remove the anti reverse dog from the Penn 209, it doesn’t have a AR locking bearing. Now it’s a knuckle buster!

Tom

 

Hey- I downloaded the schematic, took apart the 209 and removed the reverse dog & spring.  Put it all back together and now it's perfect!  Thanks for all your help!

 

Jack

 

 

Hello again- follow up to this..

 

I've installed the Penn 209 in the treehouse and what I've found is, even if the drag is tightened down to maximum, it freely unwinds and drops the (empty) bucket.  Not sure is something is wrong with the drag, or if the drag is just not strong enough to hold the bucket without unwinding?  I would think that it would be...  The empty bucket is pretty light.   Here's a photo of my setup.  Appreciate your thoughts!

17 minutes ago, Whitemtntn said:

Hello again- follow up to this..

 

I've installed the Penn 209 in the treehouse and what I've found is, even if the drag is tightened down to maximum, it freely unwinds and drops the (empty) bucket.  Not sure is something is wrong with the drag, or if the drag is just not strong enough to hold the bucket without unwinding?  I would think that it would be...  The empty bucket is pretty light.   Here's a photo of my setup.  Appreciate your thoughts!

If modified to crank backwards then it will spin backwards when gravity pulls the bucket down.  You want the ability to crank forwards and backwards to raise and lower the bucket but also stop the bucket and let it hang?  A spinning reel with an anti reverse switch mounted to a broken rod woukd have been better.  Otherwise, your only option is to attach a hook to the bucket so once cranked all the way up it can hang on the hook or to purchase a small winch with locking mechanism.  

^ What he said - you took out the anti-reverse. The only way that bucket is staying is if you have your hand on the handle preventing it from going backwards...then the drag comes into play. Without the anti-reverse, the reel will act like you depressed the thumb-bar and it's going to free-spin.

Ah that makes sense.  I guess I just want everything.

3 hours ago, Whitemtntn said:

Hello again- follow up to this..

 

I've installed the Penn 209 in the treehouse and what I've found is, even if the drag is tightened down to maximum, it freely unwinds and drops the (empty) bucket.  Not sure is something is wrong with the drag, or if the drag is just not strong enough to hold the bucket without unwinding?  I would think that it would be...  The empty bucket is pretty light.   Here's a photo of my setup.  Appreciate your thoughts!

 Use a 2 to 1 pulley set up. 1 pulley as you have and add a pulley to the bucket, then fasten the line end back up to near the upper pulley.

Tom

16 hours ago, WRB said:

 Use a 2 to 1 pulley set up. 1 pulley as you have and add a pulley to the bucket, then fasten the line end back up to near the upper pulley.

Tom

That's interesting, I'll try that.

Thanks!

 

 

Have you considered a boat trailer replacement winch assembly? It goes up and down and it has a manual lock mechanism.