InTheBite

Fish Finders: Then and Now

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Fish finders – Old school to new.

This column first appeared in our June 2019 Issue Volume 18 Edition 4 of InTheBite The Professionals’ Sportfishing Magazine.

by Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

A lot has changed since I got into the business of fishing. Electronics have become the most important tool you can have on board your boat. When considering all of the abilities of modern electronics, I sometimes think of back “in the day” – if we had a Loran and a Raytheon 735A fathometer, and a booster on our CB radio, we had it going on.

The fathometer was a paper graph machine that scrolled and was marked by a stylus needle. The stylus drawing showed the contour of the bottom and any fish or bait as it scrolled. Actually, it was a pretty amazing machine at the time. Our Loran was operated using microwave towers that transmitted signals from shore, so your range was limited and bad weather decreased its accuracy. When we would take our boat to Mexico or the Bahamas, or other faraway places, you could forget it because our Loran was useless. It was all navigating by charts, parallel rules and dividers.

Today that’s all changed. You can take a boat anywhere now and never be out of touch. You can even see at night! Our satellite systems and technology are pinpoint accurate. That brings me to the latest and greatest game changing fish finder – the new Furuno Omni Scanner.

This is a full color scanner. It scans 360 degrees in 0.54 seconds. Think about that! That is almost two full 360-degree scans per second. This scanner is a game changer when it comes to finding fish, bait, or structure. With this tool fishermen can actually identify the species of fish under the boat. They are able to mark and track a single fish, enabling the anglers to present a bait directly to the targeted fish.

This scanner has become so popular here in the Northern Gulf that I know of at least a dozen boats that had them installed during the off season – previously only a hand full of boats had them. The sonar takes the guess work out of the question, “Is there any fish or bait or structure around the boat?” It reads out several hundred yards from the boat. For instance, you might be heading south but you see something on your sonar screen that is 300 yards to the west. So, you go over there and you get covered up. The point is, you would never have made the turn to the west without the sonar. It is truly a game changer as far as finding and tracking fish.

These scanners are expensive – with a typical price tag of between 100k and 150k depending on the installation. But if you are throwing down 20k, 40k or 60k a weekend in tournaments, it’s a no brainer.  A lot of boats without the scanner are having second thoughts about betting against the sonar boats.  You can’t hardly blame them. Also, there is nothing automatic about this machine. Like anything else, you have to learn how to use it. When using it properly you are constantly panning in and out, up and down – your head is literally in the sonar all the time. It takes a lot of time to get dialed in on this machine. But once you do get it dialed in, you won’t want to go fishing without it.

Technology is an amazing thing. You need it now days to stay in the game.

 – That’s my two-minute warning. Fraz

InTheBite Dock Talk: 2019 Yamaha Helm Master Upgrade

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InTheBite was on site for the unveiling of the latest upgrade to  the Yamaha XTO Offshore. Checkout this video with Captain Shannon Pickens explaining the latest version of the Yamaha Helm Master and fine tuning your position with the upgraded SetPoint modes.

The Seakeeper 2 Wins 2019 Edison Award in Transportation Technology Category

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Seakeeper 2 Earns Gold Designation in Transportation Technology Category

CALIFORNIA, Md. (April 5, 2019) – Seakeeper, Inc., the leader in marine stabilization, received an Edison Award at last night’s Awards Gala for the Seakeeper 2.

The Edison Awards honor excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. The Seakeeper 2 was chosen as a finalist in the Transportation Technology category earlier in the year and last night received a gold award, the highest available. Products were judged on their concept, value, delivery and impact and finalists were chosen by a steering committee and small group of industry experts where necessary. The finalists were then submitted to a panel of more than 3,000 judges comprised of senior business executives and academics who then cast ballots for gold, silver and bronze winners.

“We’ve been relentless at working to change a fundamental human experience by making boating more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, and the introduction of our smallest product, the Seakeeper 2, is a huge step in realizing that mission,” said Seakeeper President & CEO Andrew Semprevivo. “We’ve been pushing ourselves every day for 11 years to bring our best innovations to market, and we’re honored to be recognized as a leader and proud to stand next to the other incredible Edison Awards winners this year.”

The award was presented at the Edison Awards’ annual black-tie event at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York, NY. Events earlier in the day included a Meet the Innovators Forum and an Innovators’ Showcase where participating companies had the opportunity to connect with other finalists and innovators and share their product.

Shimano Debuts New Spinning Reel Technology: STELLA SW Series

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POPULAR SIZE STELLA SW SPINNING REELS CONTINUE SHIMANO’S TECHOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS

  • Four New Reels – Stella 8000PG, 8000HG, 10000PG, 140000XG •

LADSON, S.C.  – Winter/Spring 2019 Introduction – For Immediate Release – 2.19 – When it comes to saltwater fishing, the right reel with the right features plays a big part for a successful day on the water. Shimano’s thorough understanding of this ‘right reel’ is made clear with the new, re-designed Stella SW 8000PG, 8000HG, 10000PG, 14000XG, now being introduced at sports shows from coast-to-coast and soon to be available from select tackle shops in mid-March.

The new reels will be at the centerpiece of Shimano’s product booth at key saltwater fishing-focused shows this winter and spring, kicking off with the World Fishing & Outdoor Expo this week  on Feb. 28, the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach, Calif., on March 3, the Saltwater Fishing Expo in Edison, N.J. on March 15, and the New England Saltwater Fishing Show in Providence, R.I. on March 22.

Joining Shimano’s proven cold-forged HAGANE Gears for lasting durability and smoothness and ultra-durable HAGANE Body, the four new Stella SW reels introduce Shimano’s new Infinity Drive technology and HeatSink Drag to serious saltwater anglers.

Shimano’s Infinity Drive improves the winding experience of these new Stella SW reels “through the use of new main shaft supporting structure to eliminate friction within the pinion gear,” explains Trey Epich with Shimano’s product development staff. “We are able to optimize the winding torque by 26-percent, taking these reels to the next level of incredibly smooth and light rotation when fighting a big striper, sailfish, tuna or roosterfish.”

Especially when fighting bigger fish like yellowfin tuna and 50-pound-plus class stripers, anglers will quickly notice the advantages of Shimano’s HeatSink drag – offered on the Stella SW 10000PG and 14000XG. “With this new technology, we able to dissipate the heat build-up when hooked into a big fish to a special ‘heat sink’ insulation sheet, keeping heat away from the spool surface and drag washer where it can cause the drag to not function as needed,” said Epich. “Plus this also keeps heat off your line so you’ll see less line breakage.”

Featuring Shimano’s proven Cross Carbon Drag, the Stella SW 8000 size reels, both the 4.9:1 gear ratio PG version and 5.6:1 gear ratio XG version, are designed for use with braided line only. “With the drastic reduction in weight to these reels over past versions with our new lightweight spool design, braided line won’t spread and retract like monofilament,” Epich explains.

To handle the effects of saltwater on the reels, the new Stella SW models feature an IPX8-reated waterproof body. “When you add in the reliability from Shimano’s cold-forging capabilities with our HAGANE Gear and HAGANE Body design, durability from our IPX8 waterproof body and our X-Protect labyrinth design construction that offers exceptional water resistance and prevents water intrusion, along with power from the HeatSink Drag and smooth operation from our Infinity Drive, anglers easily can see why we say our Stella reels have no rivals in the saltwater fishing world,” said Epich.  “We aim to excel in three key areas – durability, power and operability, and this new Shimano technology and design features found in the Stella SW 8000PG, 8000HG, 10000PG and 14000XG all come together to reach our goal in developing the most durable and strongest reels in the fishing industry.”

            To see the Stella SW reels in action, visit this video featuring noted ‘obsessed’ angler Carter Andrews here – Stella SW action in Baja.

            Both handling up to 215-yards of PowerPro braid, the Stella SW 8000PG reels in 37-inches of line per crank, while the faster 8000HG cranks in 42-inches. Thee Stella SW 1000PG has a 4.9:1 gear ratio to retrieve in 40-inches of line per crank and can handle up to 215 yards of 80-pound PowerPro or 220 yards of 20-pound mono.

A size known for its popularity among Cape Cod Canal anglers, the Stella SW 14000XG has the capacity to handle 240 yards of 80 -pound test PowerPro or 260-yards of 20-pound mono and has a 6.2:1 gear ratio to pull in 53-inches of line per crank.

For more information on the new Stella SW 8000PG, 8000HG, 10000PG and 14000XG spinning reels, see your local tackle dealer – visit the Shimano web site at http://fish.shimano.com – or call Shimano’s product support team at 877/577-0600 (6 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time).

ZF Increase Research and Development Activities After Record Sales in 2017

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ZF posts record sales in 2017; announces increased research and development activities

  • ZF chief executive officer announces further expansion of research and development activities during presentation of the company’s annual financial statements
  • The technology company produced record sales of €36.4 billion in 2017
  • Adjusted EBIT was higher at €2.3 billion, despite increases in research and development spending
  • Scheider believes that start-up culture could also be fostered in big companies

Friedrichshafen, Germany. ZF Friedrichshafen AG will increase their research and development spending again and work even faster to produce technologies for the future of mobility. CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider, who has been in office since February 1, made this statement at the company’s annual press conference in Friedrichshafen today. ZF ended the fiscal year 2017 with record sales of €36.4 billion, which, when adjusted for exchange rate effects and M&A activities, elicited organic growth of 6 percent. ZF also further reduced the debt incurred from the acquisition of TRW Automotive and posted a higher adjusted EBIT of €2.3 billion, despite increased research and development costs.

“The world of mobility is spinning at high speed,” said Scheider. “We plan to provide our customers with pioneering solutions in all fields under our motto ‘See – Think – Act’, which is why we will further increase our research and development spending.”

In 2017, ZF spent €2.2 billion on research and development, an increase of almost 15 percent compared to 2016. This year, significantly more than two billion is set to be channeled into development work around the world, with the aim of advancing electric drives and the hybridization of transmission technology as well as vehicle safety systems and automated driving. This means that the share of the budget allocated to R&D will be raised from 6.1 percent to around 6.5 percent this year. Equally, ZF wishes to continue investing in property, plant and equipment (2017: €1.4 billion). Two new plants for the production of electric drive components are planned, among other things.

Sales increase by six percent
In 2017, ZF experienced a nominal increase of 3.6 percent to €36.4 billion in Group sales (2016: €35.2 billion). Adjusted for exchange rate effects and M&A activities, organic sales growth is six percent. “This result shows our employees’ commitment and high level of motivation,” said Scheider. The Commercial Vehicle Technology and Car Powertrain Technology Divisions had above-average sales increases of 7.2 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively. “Our extremely efficient automatic passenger car transmissions contribute to reducing CO2emissions. They are therefore a key component in attaining the European limit targets and global climate targets, and are in high demand. Combined with the highly integrated electric motor, this technology still features great growth potential,” said Scheider.

Regional growth was mixed. In both Europe and North America, sales rose by over three percent. Organic growth of eight percent in the Asia-Pacific region was reduced to around two percent by the negative currency effect of the Chinese Renminbi. It appears that the economic crisis in South America has, to a large extent, been overcome. Sales there increased significantly by around 26 percent, coming from a low level.

The headcount for the ZF Group was 146,148 on the effective date, December 31, 2017 (2016: 136,820). Additional posts were created mainly in China, Mexico, Portugal, the USA and Germany, most of them within the Active & Passive Safety Technology, E-Mobility, Car Chassis Technology and Car Powertrain Technology Divisions. Of these, around 1,700 worldwide were attributed to research and development alone.

Stable profits, greater productivity
Last year, ZF not only increased its sales but also its profit situation. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased from €2.2 billion to €2.3 billion; the adjusted EBIT margin was equal to the previous year’s, at 6.4 percent. Both sales and earnings are therefore at the upper end of the amounts predicted early in 2017. The adjusted free cash flow amounted to €1.8 billion at the end of last year (2016: €2.0 billion). The equity ratio has risen again, from 21 to 24.4 percent. “We are looking back at a profitable and successful year,” said Dr. Konstantin Sauer, chief financial officer at ZF. “We have improved our processes and cost structures within a challenging environment, and have become even more productive. We have therefore been able to finance higher budgets for research and development, at the same time improving the earnings quality.”

In around two and a half years after acquiring TRW Automotive in May 2015, ZF succeeded in reducing gross debt to €6.4 billion, almost half of the original amount, by the end of 2017. “Based on the strong free cash flow, our aim is to further reduce financial liabilities and continue to drive forward the debt relief of the ZF Group in 2018,” said Sauer.

Prospects for 2018
Market development is volatile around the world. Taking this into consideration, ZF CEO Scheider predicts organic growth of around five percent for 2018. ZF expects to conclude the sale of the Body Control Systems Business Unit to Luxshare soon, which will result in a proportional drop in sales. Consequently, ZF expects Group sales of around €36.5 billion. As in the previous year, ZF is aiming to achieve an adjusted EBIT of around six percent and an adjusted free cash flow of over one billion euros.

More speed for innovation
The requirements of the dynamic development in the automotive industry are highly demanding, so ZF’s CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider wishes to accelerate project-related cooperation within the Group. “We are reinforcing the implementation of cross-divisional teams with a high level of autonomy in decision-making and cooperation,” said Scheider. “They are better able to adapt to the requirements in the new fields of technology, which are changing so quickly. We work even more closely with our customers for these projects and at an earlier stage so that attractive products can be brought into volume production much more quickly. However, this also means that a project can be abandoned swiftly if the expectations cannot be met. With this approach, a start-up culture can be present in a big group.”

ZF teams would constantly have to be recreated, strictly according to the current project requirements so that they can answer the questions of the future, in order to quickly develop the best possible solutions for the customers. Several automated driving projects serve as examples for this. “In conjunction with our tried-and-trusted development of volume production projects in the traditional fields, we now also work with a dual operating system,” explained Scheider.