Hello Barry,
I agree entirely with your sentiments but this reel is for a friend who has a normal RH 113H and who prefers to fish LH which is something he has done from his spinning days. He was going to buy a 113H2 which is Chinese made and is different mechanically in many ways from the USA reels,"cheap" would really be how I would put it. I said I would try and get him a USA Made 113H LH which shares similar parts to his existing reel apart from gears ,star and bridge.
Personally for all the fish I catch in the UK and Ireland today my trusty Penn 112H fits the bill and has served me well for nearly 50 years. I have an old 9/0 somewhere which is ideal for slowly hauling skate and 2lb leads up from great depths but unfortunately that is only a fond memory now.
Still looking for a good Penn 113H Right Hand made in USA reel and a nice Penn Squidder for myself.