Significant ABU Friends
Hugo
Svensson
Recently I became acquainted with one of Hugo's daughters and Christina was willing to share more of Hugo's exploits at ABU.
There is so much to tell here. To me, he was always the inventor of the ABU 20/30 IGFA game reels, but there is so much more!
Call back and here enjoy this talented man's endeavours to further the world of sport-fishing.
Images, stories and facts to follow....thanks to Christina and her Mum for sharing these very old images showing more than Hugo's design skills, rather the complete family man, who loved his fishing.
No doubt the the stuff of dreams as well as reality for Hugo.
The catch
The family man with admiring child!
Christina advised.....
Dad passed away in 2009 after finally finalizing his fight for the salmon to freely swim up the royal fishing river Mörrums ån.
http://www.vaxjobladet.se/
index.php?placid=1&placid_ text=12&id=360
Along with colleague Karl Nurmse, Hugo was responsible for the following patents
A
fascinating lot of information kindly shared here courtesty of the
well known Sportsfishing maestro, Dr Rob!
This is a
MUST READ for ABU and particularly Hugo Svensson devotees.
Thankyou Dr Rob!
Hello.
It
has been a long time since I posted here, but The Charkboards were
my alma mater, and I thought y'all might enjoy a little sunday
morning story about a reel...
This
is the ABU Ambassadeur 30.
This
is ABU's second attempt at larger, offshore lever drag reels,
conceived in 1974. They are somewhat unique, with their stainless
steel frames and acetal sideplates. The styling is also dramatically
avant-garde, which is not unusual for ABU.
A
truly inspiring reel, or at least I like to think so. I first came
across it years and years ago, down in the deep recesses of the
patent office archives, where one could browse among neverending
shelves with millions of documents.
I
found the mechanical design enamoring; simply brilliant in fact. So
simple, so clever... So few parts. I daresay that never has there
been a design so simple for this type of reel.
I've
never forgotten it, in all the years following.
And
often thought of the man behind it, Hugo Svensson.
And
thought many times, that perhaps our paths would cross and I would
meet him someday, and would have the opportunity to express my
appreciation.
In
the meantime, I would've liked to make a reel for myself, a little
special edition keepsake; a Hugo Svensson Tribute reel.
So,
I started getting into it earlier this year, and laid out the
idea... made a frame, some gears, a handle... It was looking pretty
nice.
And
then, I got a letter. It was from his daughter.
He
is dead, she said... he died a few years ago. She explained that she
had found her way to me by way of the ORCA and their website, in
search of learning more about her father. Could I help?
Yes,
perhaps I can, said I... That his years at ABU may have been long
ago, but they did not pass unnoticed, nor will they be forgotten.
And that little I thank him for inspiration before embarking on my
own little quest for wisdom, wherever it may lead.
And
so I thought it apt, to continue:
So,
some time has gone by. You know how it is- things to do, changes in
life, things take time. But in recent weeks, I decided to complete
this little project.
I
work alone, from scratch. I am self-taught, and all my machines are
manually operated. Really, the only things I don't make are screws
(well, sometimes) and ball bearings. So, some things take some time,
but they usually turn out the way I like; or at least similar
thereto.
I
began by marking, drilling and threading the base plate, which is
after all the anchor and basis for all things mechanical....
...like
the intricate gear train I designed for this reel. The original
reels had a gear ratio something like 3:1. I wanted something much
quicker, like 6:1, for reasons we will later see. This is not
entirely easily done within such a constrained space. The
alternative to strict adherence to Hugo's design, would have been to
add a big, drop-down double chin so popular on reels nowadays- an
aesthetically less appealing alternative. Besides, I like gears...
...which
is why I own a gear hobbing machine; to better make them myself.
The
outer right-hand sideplate takes shape, paying close attention to
the multitude of peculiar angles involved.
The
spool is made to be extremely lightweight
And
together with a few other bits 'n' pieces, it all starts taking
shape.
Drag
levers and things are a bit intricate, but this turned out rather
nicely.
...and
look at that. Neat as you please.
Ladies
and gentlemen, introducing the Ambassadeur 3.0 Hugo Svensson
Tribute:
...but
there is something I haven't shown you. Here... c'mere, pick a hand
Left?
Okay...
Epilogue:
The
reel isn't quite finished yet. Later, as opportunity allows, I will
correct small errors, and make a few additions. A magnetic cast
control is in the works for instance, and a lighter spool.
I
would have liked to share this with Jack Erskine; it is the type of
thing he would have enjoyed, not leastly since he had a part in the
development of these reels back in the day.
Earlier
this spring I met one of the old ABU guys, Olle Lidesjö. There
aren't very many left of his sort. Most of the OG's have retired by
now, but Olle has been there for a bit over twenty-five years. We
chatted for a while. I told him this story, and showed him this
reel.
He
liked it. All is well.
ABOUT ME
If you are a person that has significantly had an effect on design/development/testing of ABU equipment over the years please contact me abuadmiral@gmail.com if you wish your contribution documented for posterity and the immediate interest of the ABU fans worldwide!