Robbie Barnett--Trinity College (Committed to SMU)
I work as a mate on a charter fishing boat out of Miami. On most weekends, I wake up at 5 AM to meet my co-workers — Super Dave (a car-mechanic, boar hunter, and expert fish filleter) and Mario (who lost two fingers to a shark) — to prepare the boat and meet the customers that we are paid to put on big fish and supply a lifelong memory. On one windy December morning, we headed out looking for sailfish and found them schooling in an area of clear blue water. The excitement on the boat spiked, and we frantically reached into the baitwell for live cigar-minnows and goggle-eyes, bait sailfish can’t resist. By the time we baited our hooks and clipped into the kite-line the sailfish were gone. We missed our chance. But I had an idea about how to make sure we wouldn’t miss again.
The charter I worked on the previous summer used R&R Bait Tubes, 3D-printed plastic tubes that connected to the livewell. The contraption sells for $699 and allows fishermen fast access to bait because the hooks are already baited with live fish, kept fresh and lively in aerated tubes. I told my mates I was going to build this contraption myself to avoid another lost opportunity.
I asked Mr. Dubard, my engineering teacher and one of my academic advisors, to help. After a few failed models, we decided there must be a more efficient production method. Using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets and running them through the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) mill, we could quickly and inexpensively create clips to hold 3 PVC pipes. I added threaded fittings where the hose attached and a valve to regulate water flow. The whole process took about ten hours.
On our next charter, I introduced the contraption to Super Dave and Mario. They were surprised I had turned my idea into a finished product, but I could tell they doubted it would work. Mario mumbled something salty under his breath. Super Dave slapped me on the back and made a joke I shouldn’t repeat now.
We headed out, looking for clear water, bait running, and a muddy edge. This time, we hooked our baits and placed them headfirst into the bait tubes I’d built. Now, if we found the sailfish, we were ready. I don’t remember if we caught any sailfish that day, but I was thrilled my contraption worked. I was excited that something I’d designed and manufactured could function just as I planned. And I began to realize the value of an engineering career. Engineers see problems as opportunities for solutions, which is exactly how I see the world.
On the way back, Super Dave said, “Dude, we have to sell these!” We brainstormed the details. One sheet of HDPE was $40 but was enough for one and a half contraptions. The PVC, fittings, and tubing were another $40. Factoring the time to build, we could sell my contraption for half the market price and still make a profit. We had fun dreaming about the prospects for our new product. We threw around a few names (QuickCatch, Better Baiter, The Bait Buddy) before we settled on BaitMate.
After some online research I learned that BaitMate already exists. I searched various websites to see if R&R had a patent on the tubes. After hours of searching, I’m still not sure whether they do. I did learn that it costs $10,000-$20,000 to patent an invention and an additional $6,300 over the patent’s lifetime. I was a little discouraged but also inspired. My brain was in full discovery mode. I had the team and the ideas, now I just needed to raise money and learn more. The experience taught me about engineering and entrepreneurism and that I want to pursue both, especially if I can do it while sailfishing with Super Dave and Mario.