IMO its too small for beach fishing, I'd look at a 651c? with more line each turn and a better drag system if you want to stick with the Alveys

 I reckon I had one of those when I was 14 - I used to use it with a 10 foot rod fishing the rocks in Sydney for Blackfish and Bream. I absolutely loved it as it was very easy to maintain and the drag was your palm. Casting light weights and floats off the rocks was easy and you never had to cast far so retrieve was never an issue. If I recall, the spool is made of bakelite and thats how mine died ....... I dropped it onto the rocks and the spool broke.

Its a great little reel for light stuff but as Carnarvonite points out, its a small spool and retrieve is slow.

cheers

 I have to agree with carnarvonite, 

If you like Alvey's then you should look at some new models, they have come a long way from the relic you bought. Not saying you still cant use it but there are alot better options around and alvey's can be hard to use if you have never tried one.

Also they are not designed to hold Braid, putting braid on the one you have would surley deform the spool or even crack it if the line was wound on under pressure. The braid would pack down hard on the spool and unlike mono it has no stretch. Also It would probaly throw loops of on your first cast causing a big tangle and frustrate you to no end . 

I still use an Alvey for surf fishing and luv it, the 651 models would suit you better for what you want to do. 

 Great fellas thanks for the background on this reel. Good to hear old stories like yours Cruise Control, good to hear the old Alvey served you well, hopefully the new one I will buy will do me the same. Might just leave this old one for display then aye and look at these 651 models you speak of.

Pretty keen on learning how to use these Alveys as I reckon they just look cool and seem very durable and reliable. I've just joined the Surf Casting and Angling Club of WA, they seem well organized and knowledgable so hopefully I can get tips on use and getting the most out of it from those who know better.

When I do buy a new Alvey Grantartic1 I will be sure to spool it with mono, Thanks for that. For the intended usage I mentioned above what pound line would you say I might spool it with- or would it depend on what model I will have bought?

 Go the Alvey 651C5, that's the deep spool model that will fit near on a 1000 meters of the right line. I sold a pair a month or so ago, so I'd offer them to you if I still had them.

cheers

Dale

 Ah well thanks for the thought anyway Dale, next time maybe. I'm just looking at the Alvey site online now and this 651C5 looks a beast of a reel! Anything close to 1000m will be more than enough so won't have any problems there.

Now thinking I may as well get a new rod to go with the new Alvey as they recommend a 3.6m+ size rod for those bigger models. Might have to cut back on the morning coffees for awhile as this new set-up is gonna cost me a bit i'm thinking haha!

 Yea am looking at their site now and am realizing how awesome this 650/1 range of Alveys looks! Grant your wealth of info/experience is appreciated mate, good on ya. This 650c is the black 'drag surf reel' yea? Definitely looks the part, mean as!

Am thinking near 1000m of line on the 651C5 is probably more than I will need so the 650C5/6500bcv/rr are the models I will be looking at more. This rapid retrieve system is interesting as I like to use metal lures in the surf, will look more into that as well. I'm thinking <$200 is a great price for the quality of these reels and that's what they're priced at online.

I will go around to a couple of local stores to see what they reckon as well, 'scuse my ignorance but who is the site sponsor? Will get them to explain these purpose built Alvey rods a bit more and their line keeper set-up you speak of.

 i have 3 alvey's mate 2-651e5 matched with an oz flex su 9177(15ft) and fsu6120(10ft), and a 651c5 with an ozflex fjh 17 (12ft). I prefure the e5 cause there a fixed handle so power over the c5 slip handle but need to get your hand out the way when they run! The ozflex su 400 (13ft) would be more suited to 30lb as would a shallow spool alvey on  mine i'm runnin 50lb mono and packin up to a 1000meters on my balloonin reel and 800m on the casting reel.

Teflon drag washers are a great investment for these reels to i highly recommend you track some down when you get one 

hope that helps you wont regreat getting one of these beauties! 

Love it.
I use the 650bcvrr model and just ordered a second with turbo cast.

Will look at a 651 next for ballooning and a 625b for bait casting.

The graphite backed bcvrr ones are pretty light compared to the non vented ones.

I am no expert on Alveys but some absolute gurus at our club have me on the right track. Some gurus at surfcasters too.

Doesn't take long to get the hang on casting them. Get some tiny swivels too. These are needed.

Cheers,
D80

 Jesus mate that Mulloway is enormous, nice one! Just a touch bigger than mine haha! My pic on here is of my very first (and only so far) mulloway I only caught a few weeks ago near Denham, I was bloody rapt even though it was pretty small at 46cms, hauling in one that big must be an awesome feeling, one day I will know myself haha! 

Hadn't actually noticed the 651E5 til now and Alvey reckon this reel is the ideal rock fishing reel, do you know what makes this so- would this model also be good for fishing off the beach? Seems well priced as well at just over $200 so could be in the mix for a call up if I can work out if this model is also good for the surf. Around $200 is what I'm wanting to spend on an Alvey. I'm thinking i could be in for a bit more research, as you guys have mentioned I dont want end up with the wrong set-up for the style of fishing I will be using it for.

Good tips on the these teflon drag washers and the Osflex su400, will look into that. Cheers Callum.

 Good to hear Diesel the 650bcvrr is definitely one of the models I am keen on- seems to suit what I intend to be using it for, and looks mean to boot! Will be mainly using the new combo off the beach, mainly fishing with baits/gangs though like to use lures in the surf as well, will also fish occasionally off the rocks as well. 

Sounds like you really enjoy using Alveys with you looking to buy other models Diesel, good to hear. What pound line have you spooled your 650bcvrr with and how does it hold up against bigger fish such as rays, mulloway, bigger tailor, etc?

Good to know they arn't that hard to get the hang of and helpful that there are people out there willing to share their experiences and teaching newbies 'how to'.

Tiny swivels aye, righto, cheers.

Have beached some good size eagle rays - no gaff, a 7kg gummy shark and some large tailor, No mulloway yet though.

I fish it on a purglas number 2 rod. 13ft. It is a beast of a rod.

The power of the reels is pretty awesome, hardly fighting fair. Lure fishing will probably not be great on them unless using plugs / poppers / swimming minnows that you can retrieve more slowly. They would work well. Get pretty tired flogging slugs about.

With regard to the small swivels, mine are rated to 55lb so small doesn't mean weak. I prefer crane swivels. will find the model. Alvey fishos at the club got me onto them. no complaints so far.

Cheers,
D80

 Thanks Grant think Oceanside is Sor yea? I'm in Tuart Hill So doubt I'll get down there but Compleat Angler has a store in Nedlands I think so reckon that will be my best bet. Never been there so I will get in there and ask some questions and get some info/possibly buy a 13 foot rod as they seem to be a good size for the reel I will be buying. Sounds like the drag upgrade is a neccessary thing to do for the prolonged life of the reel so thanks for that.

Thanks Diesel for the specs on what gear you're running with the 650bcvrr, very helpful and good to know that set-up easily muscles in bigger fish! I will have to get me some of those crane swivels you mention.

 the e5 has a fixed handel so you can winch them straight up and when you get a big run and there headin for a ledge you can stop them dead in there tracks and as soon as you let go its back to normal drag 

the c5 has a slip handle so when the spools spins  the handle slip so not as much winchin\stopping power

sayin that these models are heavy dutty think your headin in the right direction with some thing lighter, also i run 2 swivels in my alvey rigs cause line twist can be an issue after alot of casting i've found after every few sessions i cut my rig off tie a sinker straight on and cast retrieve that a couple times no more twists 

 Yea Callum I'm pretty new to the WA fishing scene, from Melbourne and was ever only land based so havn't had much experience with bigger fish that'll need 'winching' in. Maybe down the track I'd look into those bigger/stronger set-ups you mention (e5/c5) but for now this 650bcvrr size and similar would be the go for me by the sounds of it. Wouldn't be targeting species like sharks and rays but always chance of by-catch so good to know it could handle em ok. More angling for tailor, salmon with mulloway probably the biggest fish I'd be targeting.

Two swivels you say- so one obviously connecting your rig to your mainline, and the other? Yea line twist is something I wanna definitely avoid, thanks for the tip mate.

Ziggy,

here is how i do it mate. (for tailor / salmon).

Make a rig with a swivel at the top, normally I use a tri-crane 60lb/40lb.

From here I add the sinker drop to a snap swivel off the 60lb. Off the side of the crane the (40lb section) I add the hook drop.

This is my rig, then I add a short run of line onto the top of the tri-crane in the same b/s line (30-40cm). To the end of this I tie the small swivel I talk of above. Mainline attaches to this small swivel.

Does the job.

Also when you wind in, and you have you line out of the water, pull the sinker down (adds tension to line) then lift it up to take off weight  / tension off line and rig, the top swivel should then turn a couple of times releasing some line twist.

Hope that makes sense? Otherwise someone at your club will be able to teach you.

Cheers,

D80

 main line-straight swivel-mono-3way swivel-mono to hooks and sinker  for a pananoster set up, or a running rig just set your sinker between 2 straight swivels on a snap swivel not as much twist in a running rig but reduces your casting distance 

 Diesel and Callum I reckon it will make sense... eventually haha, I've taken a screen shot on my phone of what you've both said and what I'll do is make the rig up slowly as I go on the weekend where I can take my time and refer back to what you've both written. Will all come together no doubt if I can practice as I go. So essentually Diesel you have a leader, with a swivel at each end ( small on top attaching to main line ) in-between your main line and your rig- hence more swivels, resulting in less line twist.

Callum your running sinker and paternoster set-ups sound straight forward.

Cheers!