Article by Capt. Steve Katz
Beyond the Cockpit - Tournament Preparation
Tournament season is in full swing here on the Mid-Atlantic coast. Some of the best boats and teams have converged in our area to compete for millions in prize money – from New Jersey to South Carolina there is a tournament for every angler in every size boat.
Working on sportfishing boats year-round, I see my fair share of service and repairs to these vessels. Though it seems that just before or during a big tournament, boat service issues arise that have not been a problem all year!
While it is uncommon to perform an emergency “overnight” project, it is best to plan out a project in advance, with detailed coordination of the marina, parts, and skilled service providers. When it comes to tournament repairs and service, a successful repair can only happen with the dedication of service providers whom you have an established relationship with. Give the service providers as much advance notice as possible of a potential problem.
The summer tournaments here in Ocean City draw many manufacturers of marine products to the area during the next few weeks. These representatives are here to support their current and potential customers. Take advantage of their presence and meet with them and make a connection that can help you and your boat now or in the future.
Preparing for the Tournament
The fishing part of the boat is usually well stocked with mates, bait, tackle, and a lot of backup supplies, but that is not always the case with the mechanical/electrical/electronic part of the boat. It is difficult to have a spare or backup of everything on your boat, though there are a few items that prove to be critical and seem to stop working during a tournament.
One popular item that seems to go out at the worst time is the Garmin SiriusXM weather antenna power supply, 010-12527-00. This is a small $99 module that supplies power to the Garmin SiriusXM antenna which is necessary to receive marine weather data, such as sea surface temperature and offshore weather. There is a small led light on the power supply, red is bad, green is good. Carrying a spare power supply is a good idea, it is not too expensive, not too difficult to install and seems to go bad when you need it the most.
On that topic, it is a good idea to check Starlink, SiriusXM, DirectTV and other subscription-based services. While most boaters have these services on an automatic renewal, a subscription issue seems to only happen during the tournament. Nowadays, with Starlink and satellite phones, the captain or crew could easily call the service provider to update the subscription if needed while offshore. Though you often need account numbers and serial numbers and an unnecessary lengthy conversation to get your service re-activated, all while tournament fishing, not the best time but it can certainly get you going again. SiriusXM phone support is open Monday–Friday, 8 am–8 pm ET, 1-855-796-9847.
Keeping Cool
If your boat has air conditioning, refrigeration and or ice makers, these systems really get a workout during tournament season. For instance, some larger boats have numerous air conditioning systems that are not often needed at the dock with just a few crew members onboard. Come tournament week, a boatload of crew, friends, and family pack the boat full of people, creating an extra warm environment for the air conditioner to cool. These systems need to be in tip-top operation condition to keep everyone cool. An air conditioner that has a dirty air filter, low seawater flow or low on refrigerant might be ok when the boat is empty but when you have a full house, it cannot keep up with the cooling requirements. It is best to go through these systems in advance of tournaments to assure they are operating 100% before the team arrives.
Batteries
Batteries can degrade under the summer heat combined with warm engine room temperatures. Most batteries have a sticker or punch out decal that indicates the date of manufacture or installation. AGM or traditional flooded batteries seem to last 3-5 years. If in doubt, a battery test should be performed using a conductance tester, such as one of the popular Midtronics testers. This test gives you a measurement of capacity, in cranking amps to help determine the health of the battery. Alternators and battery chargers can also be a cause of an electrical problem. A fully charged battery should read 12.6V or 25.2V at rest, not connected to the boat. A good battery on a charger should indicate approximately 13.25 or 26.5 volt during the charger’s float phase. A higher voltage for a prolonged period of time can overcharge the batteries. A engine alternator should output about 13.7 or 27.4 volts and an varied amperage dependent on electrical load. If you have a dead battery, it could charge as high as 14.25 volt for a 12-volt battery and 28.5 volt for a 24-volt system. Once the battery is 100 % full, this voltage should be automatically reduced to prevent the batteries from becoming overcharged.
Helm Electronics
Most chart plotters manufacturers offer regular software updates to enhance their products. Unfortunately, the combination of hardware age and brands on any given boat may not play well with the latest version of software or some old feature is removed to make room for a new feature.
If it has been a while since you updated your chartplotter or peripheral software, it is a good idea to review the notes on the latest version and see if it fixes or contains the enhancements you desire. If so, update the software at least a few weeks before the tournament so you can adjust to the changes and be sure it is functioning properly. The possibility of a botched software update the night before fishing outweighs the updated features.
When it comes to Tournament fishing preparation – do not forget about the boat’s systems while preparing the fishing gear and tackle. §
