When you choose to put your money down and start fishing competitively in tournaments, you should never underestimate the value of preparation, particularly as it pertains to your boat and your team. When you consider all of the expenses associated with entering one of these events - crew, bait, tackle, fuel, food, drinks and all the other things that go into a smooth-running operation - you must first consider the vessel that transports you to and from the fishing grounds.
Keeping your boat ready and dialed in is of paramount importance. Not having everything in tip-top shape is a fool's gamble, and it will come and bite you when you least expect it. And when things go wrong in a tournament with big money on the line, it can get ugly fast. Most professionally run operations stay ready to go at all times, and those that fish regularly have a distinct advantage, not only because they are up on current fishing conditions, but also because they know how to keep their boat in fish-fighting shape and ready to run.
It's easy to stay ahead when you check the engine room daily and fix problems as soon as they appear. To make this job easier, we keep the engine room as clean as possible and wiped down at all times so that we can detect any leaks or trouble brewing before a major problem develops. A clean engine room allows you to monitor fluid use or leaks and any external part wear and tear. As a rule, I make a complete engine-room inspection at the end of every day's fishing. That way, if there's something wrong, or even something just starting to go wrong, I can get a jump on it, and I have the whole night to make adjustments, repairs or complete change outs and can avoid missing the next day's fishing. Sure, as the old saying goes, "stuff happens," but the inspection every day keeps any surprises to a minimum and helps ensure that your boat fishes the next day.
