SOMETIMES LOW-TECH IS BEST

Having a good network of friends is priceless

- CAPT. SKIP SMITH

Is there any hope for us poor folks? You own a great sportfisherman, and yet you feel that you can't compete with all the sonar boats in a billfish tournament (and it's hard to blame you). Besides not having $150,000 to buy and install a sonar, it's also difficult to find a good location for that big periscope transducer in the engine room, much less a spot on the bridge for the display.

Maybe we should try to fish the kingfish and wahoo tournaments? Do we have a chance at being competitive, or will we need to repower the boat and add more fuel so we can run to where those fish are? And don't forget about the cost of bait and fuel nothing is getting any less expensive. I'll just keep buying lottery tickets until I win enough for a new boat with all that great new technology.