What was the livewell setup in this image? (1988 Blue Fin Sportsman 1900)

[Renderwurx]

Hi guys! Been lurking on here for some time and recently bought a (what I think is) really great project boat, a 1988 Blue Fin Sportsman 1900 with a Mercury 100. I have the boat completely gutted now and am going over design ideas in my head. The reason for this post is to understand what WAS in the boat for a livewell system. The PO never used it and only plugged the fitting when he "somewhat" restored the boat.

In the image, the red circle is a pump that is connected to a thru-transom port, with a long hose running up toward the front of the boat. it was not attached to anything, just an open hose. The green circle is a thru-hull port that is broken off and plugged from the outside.

My first thought was that fresh water was pumped in from the back of the boat thru the transom, and then overflowed to the front port. But the front port looks awful low to be an exit. Knowing there could have been multiple livewell/baitwells in use at once, or perhaps an owner replaced or added one... I wanted to see what you all think.

I believe the stock sport boat had a livewell in that area up front, and I intend on putting one in that area in my new floorplan. Any info or guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard

with a boat in that much of a state of repairs, your going to need to do a full restoration. so build it like you want. your basically starting with the aluminum hull

 

[Renderwurx]

Yep that is definitely the plan. However, I am wanting to figure out how the previous livewell was plumbed, as if I can use the existing holes in the hull, I'd rather do that than create more. Right now it's completely gutted and I am removing carpet glue residue.

I am thinking of going to a center console, marine vinyl flooring on the decks and gunwales, and carpeting on the sidewalls and console.

 

[dingbat]

Livewell drains should exit above the water line.

Otherwise, you would end up with a drain constantly full of water to the water line at best. Worst case, you end up with a broken fitting such as you have there and you're well on your way to visit Davy Jones's Locker.....

 

[jbcurt00]

Did it come w the livewell box? I'd bet the livewell 'drain' was actually an overflow tube. Allows fresh water to regularly be pumped into the well, and once it reaches the level of the top of the overflow, it'd drain out thru the green circled fitting. Esp if the exterior hull fitting was a rearward facing scupper of sorts. Then at the end of the day/trip, you pull the overflow tube (on the trailer ????) and the well drains completely.

 

[Renderwurx]

Thanks dingbat, I agree... which is what I cannot figure out about how this was set up.

JBCurt00, the livewell had been "remodeled out" before I got it. I was leaning your way, except if the front exit was overflow exit, water level would be perhaps halfway up the livewell. If there was an extention tube to an adequate overflow level it would be "half full" level with the exterior water level right?

I guess if I put a livewell approximately in the same place, I could use the existing front exit as a fill with a pump between it and the livewell... and add an above water level exit nearby as an overflow.

Then maybe re-purpose the back pump/transom hole as a backup bilge pump?

 

[jbcurt00]

Bilge pump exit definitely needs to be above water level.


As long as the top of the overflow tube is above exterior water level, it would work as intended.

You just want to make sure tube is tall enough to be serviceable, but low enough that water sloshing around (free water effect) doesnt slosh out of the livewell, ramping up onto plane or dropping off plane back to idle.......

Since you dont currently have the well, look around, depending on what well ya end up w, will probably dictate how it needs to be plumbed.....

The new one might not come equipped w a removeable (to drain) overflow tube, esp if its used or a DIY fabrication using a cooler or similar..

Some drain all the way back and out the transom..... Reverse of the fill pump route.......

Esp those w more then 1 well: livewell and a seperate bait well..... All draining to the stern w just 1 thru hole because the drains are T'd (or Y'd) together.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would have the hole up towards the bow welded up so you can put in a properly located overflow drain

 

[Silvertip]

There are really three points of entry and exit to a live well. Obviously water needs to get pumped INTO the well. The hose and pump at the stern is indeed the FILL portion of the system. The stern port is below the water line at rest and perhaps very slow speeds but on plane it would be out of the water but that does not pose a problem. Next, there is the OVERFLOW situation. This takes on two different schemes. One is a port at the top of the well that simply drains overboard "above" the water line. Yes, it could go out the bottom but why make a hole in the bottom of a perfectly good boat. The other overflow scheme is more like a water "level" control system. With the drain at the bottom of the well, a stand-pipe is used which simply plugs into the drain. The pipe would be slightly lower than the top of the well. As water level in the well reaches the top of the stand-pipe it overflows into the pipe and goes out the drain. This scheme is simple, very effective and works well whether a timer based pump is used or whether a On-Off switch is all that controls the pump. Forgetting to turn the pump off therefore is a non-issue. To drain the livewell you simply pull the stand-pipe. The thing to remember is that if the bottom of the live well is below the level of the water outside the boat, there will always be water in the well unless you get on plane so it can drain or else with the boat on a trailer or lift. The fill process uses a simple adjustable single point spray head at the top of the tank or it may use a longitudinal pipe with many holes in it to provide a spray pattern across the full length or width of the well. If you don't know what a stand-pipe is, remove the cover from the tank on your toilet. That big pipe in the middle is a stand-pipe. Water cannot get higher than the top of that pipe as it would pass over it and down the drain.

 

[Renderwurx]

Thanks all for very good insight.

JBCurt00, good point. I do plan on fabricating my own from a 27 gallon storage tote from Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-27-Gal-Storage-Tote-in-Black-HDX27GONLINE-5/205978361

Silvertip... so you believe the original livewell was possibly plumbed like this?

 

[Renderwurx]

Could I use the existing port (green in image) in the bow that is often below waterline as the fill with a pump, then add a higher port (pink) for overflow nearby? I would have to patch the hole thru the transom of course.

I would install a timer to refresh the water. Also, I have the pump line into the livewell diagram at the top. Ideally should it be at the bottom so that the "old water" is raise and exits the boat versus new water laying on top and exiting thus not really refreshing the water?

Will the new pump up front adequately stop water from running into the well when it's not running?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I doubt the tote from home depot would survive long. it will eventually bulge, fail, etc.

I used a 94 quart cooler for my fishing rig for a short time and the cooler ended up splitting where I had epoxied in the fittings because the material flexed enough to start a split and the fitting/epoxy didnt move.

I suggest searching craigslist for an aluminum livewell and then insulating it with foam

 

[Renderwurx]

Good to know... I had intended on building a box around it and filling around it with expanding foam to support the sides. I also considered:
https://greatlakesskipper.com/misty...ch-poly-boat-livewell-baitwell-tank-mis001817

Which is still a plastic tank, but designed specifically for a livewell use.

I could also have one fabricated at a metal shop... option, options...

 

[dingbat]

Good to know... I had intended on building a box around it and filling around it with expanding foam to support the sides. I also considered:
https://greatlakesskipper.com/misty...ch-poly-boat-livewell-baitwell-tank-mis001817

Which is still a plastic tank, but designed specifically for a livewell use.

I could also have one fabricated at a metal shop... option, options...

You can get away with rectangular live well, but bait well should be round, at a minimum it should have round corners.

Round requires less flow to maintain high dissolved oxygen levels. Rectangular tanks require greater water speeds to avoid creating low DO values in dead spots. Not to mention bait is dumb. They will physically harm themselves, sometimes fatality, trying to negotiate the corners.

Alot of guys use the bottoms of 35 or 55 gallon plastic drums for tanks

 

[Renderwurx]

Thanks Dingbat. I probably won't have a baitwell, as I don't do much live bait fishing. Maybe the occasional crappie outing. But if I ever do, I'll definitely look into the barrel idea. Mostly just want a livewell to keep fish fresher before taking home to clean and eat. I doubt I will ever fish tournaments.

The boat will be a general fishing boat... catfish, bass, walleye, perch. Mostly smaller inland lakes, but I may venture out into Lake Erie from time to time.

 

[dingbat]

Mostly just want a livewell to keep fish fresher before taking home to clean and eat. .

Contrary to popular belief, keeping fish in a livewell for eating is the worst thing you can do. The buildup of latic acid and ammonia from stress is detrimental to meat quality.

A box full of ice and salt brine is a much better way of preserving meat quality.

 

[Renderwurx]

Interesting... will research that more.

 

[Renderwurx]

Here is a photo I found of a nearly identical boat. In the livewell the fitting shown looks like it may be approximately right above the one in my boat's bow. It looks to have a recess in the fitting.. perhaps for a removable overflow tube thus confirming the livewell was filled with the pump form the rear then overflowed over into the bow port (which is still below waterline?)

 

[Silvertip]

I know of no livewell pump that has a checkvalve to prevent water flowing through the pump with the pump not running. Always think "water level INSIDE vs water level OUTSIDE. If there is a path for the higher level of water to follow the two will equalize. I would never drain the livewell through the bottom of the boat. If drained through a port at the stern at least it could be drained on plane and then a stopper put in the drain or the standpipe installed to prevent back flow. 1) install the pump at the stern. Why? because volume pumps cannot "draw" water. They must be "fed" (water level higher than pump). 2) Plumb the drain through the stern. 3) Use a stand pipe 4) pump feeds a spray bar or sprayer nozzle. Go fishing.