Ned - if you're getting the automated crud ( repeated spam, all from the same name, all with casino ads in the signatures, all replying to recent posts with gibberish comments) - I found a solution to this at a phpBB forum.
I can PM you a link to a solution you or your web guru can use to easily eliminate alot of the auto spam (It worked real well for the BAS forum)
I implimented it myself in less than 5 minutes on our site.
Unfortunately I think I have the link at work, so I'll have to do this Wed during the day.