2 speed Kohlstrand hand crankers

[fire- weed]

Anyone using, or has used the two speed hand cranks.? Im hoping to get info or better yet, a hands on experience before paying 3400.00 for a set

Im wondering if they are a well built product product.
Also, do they noticeably reduce the effort in cranking a 20 - 30lb balls and all?
All comments are appreciated , Thanks

[jlc3]

I have been using a set of these gurdies for over 25 years. They are expensive but worth it. Most serious hand trollers end up owning a set.

The low speed isn't that useful; it's just too slow. But once in a while, if you snag a giant kelp island or a big halibut or the bottom, it's handy. The real reasons to own these are the great bushings and brakes. If you use small, 20 lb, cannon balls and free wheel the gear down instead of cranking the gear down, you can run a line as fast as a power troller. Everything that eventually wears out can be rebuilt over and over.
Since there are only a few hundred HT permits still fishing, there seem to be extra sets of these gurdies around. You may be able find some for a lot less than $3400. But even if that ends up being what you pay, they will make back their cost during periods of hot fishing.

[fire- weed]

Well thanks jlc3, Looks like im going to be finding out soon enuf, turns out I went to murrays today,here in sitka, to look at the bright shiny new ones and on the bulletin board was a a set advertised for a whole bunch less, including davits and poles, nicely made ones too. The gurdies are some 30 years old, if i remember correctly, and still working.

[Kelper]

Agreed, back when I was hand cranking the 2 speeds were awesome. I never put it on the low gear though, way to slow as mentioned before.