Live bait tank on a 28TE

[Anthony1013]

Hey guys -

I was out Tuna fishing off Ilwaco a week ago and I stopped at the bait dock and picked up 1 scoop of anchovies. About 20 minutes after filling up, all my bilges light up and the high water alarm starts screaming. Holy pucker factor!!! After digging around, I saw water running down the inside transom wall. For whatever reason, the water wasn't draining fast enough out of the tank and it started filling up the bilge.

Now I see a couple of problems here:

I installed a screen over the drain last year because an anchovie managed to swim down the drain and clog it up. I am pretty sure I cleared the tube successfully but perhaps the scales were clogging the screen. Obviously, I have some more testing to do.

Secondly, why is that tank not sealed at the very top? It's tough to get my big noggin in there to see exactly where it's leaking but I am planning to silicone up the seal in hopes of sealing it completely.

Has anyone ran across this problem? I'm turning to the experts for some help....

Anthony

[RicM]

On my 28TE the "baitwell", which is the smaller compartment to starboard, is not sealed around the top either. There is an outlet at the bottom and one about 7/8ths of the way up that are plumbed to through hulls. My boat was originally ordered by a guy that didn't fish, so there was no raw water pump for the baitwell or washdown. I installed a washdown system at the transom, starboard side, and simply toss the hose in there when I'm fishing live bait. I adjust the hose so there's no chance that the pump will fill faster than the drains can drain. If I were to fish live bait a lot I would plumb it so that the flow was adjustable, and use a standpipe with a screen on top to maintain the depth of water I want, then depend on the plumbed outlet to handle an overflow situation. With small bait like anchovy or eels you have the added concern of the bait going down either plumbed drain and clogging it up. FWIW on the east coast, most live bait fishing is with scup, shad, or menhedan, relatively large fish for which this well works great. It's not always possible for a designer to see what use every fisherman is going to make of his creation!

[craw_daddy]

I had a similar problem last year with a 'floater' that clogged the overboard discharge -it began overfloewing into the bilge area instead of out the top. This year I installed a timer to cycle the pump on every 45 sec instead of 'always on'. At least this way, there is an opportunity for a floater to drift away from the drain. I still need to seal the inside of the tank.

[Anthony1013]

Interesting.... sounds like I am not the only experiencing this problem. The aerator does have a valve I can close a little to adjust the flow, I'll try that. I plan to seal up the tank and I'll post how that worked out.

Thanks for the replies boys!

[JackK]

I've had the same thing on a couple occasions ... first with small bait fish getting sucked against the drain and then with a small eel traveling into the drain. The eel presented quite a task to get out but a coat hanger and some really gross blood and guts handling resolved the issue.

If there had been a camera on me when the bilge kicked on at about 5-6 miles from shore, I would probably be at least 10K richer from America's Funniest videos. I had just shut the engine down and started a drift for Striper when the forward bilge came on strong. My heart just about came out of my chest before I started rattling off commands to my friends along for the ride. As I was preparing to notify the Coast Guard of a "vessel taking on water," we found the water running down the transom wall. After calmly shutting off the baitwell switch, it took a while to get my pulse back and try fishing again. My friends still chuckle at the mention of my pumping water into the boat!

I did make up a little screen that fits over the drain but it's not elegent and has fallen off on occassion. Once the excitement of the first blockage subsides, it becomes much less of an issue.

Jack

[Anthony1013]

I feel your pain Jack....

Did you seal up your bait tank?

[RicM]

Best solution is a drain pipe. Get some PVC that will fit into your drain hole with some finagling, either larger diameter and sand to a taper, or slightly small that can be padded with some tape. Cut the pipe to the length that you want the water deep and press into the lower drain hole. Devise a barrier for the top(screen, mesh, drill a bunch of holes in a cap) that will keep bait out, but let water through. This will increase potential outflow because you will have 2 drains open. The upper wall mounted drain will now be your emergency overflow.

[Anthony1013]

And that is EXACTLY why I refer to you guys as the experts!

Great suggestion RicM.... thanks a million!

[Russell]

Another advantage to the PVC pipe is you do not have to stick your hand down through the water to unplug the drain. I am always amazed at how much those fish poop and it seems to stick to the walls rather than go down the overflow.

[Anthony1013]

Well I made the necessary adjustments to my tank this weekend.... sealing up the tank proved to be more difficult than I expected. I had some rather large gaps (1/2") that were just too much for a plain bead of silicone so I stuffed the larger voids with fiberglass matting. I almost got seasick after sticking my head in the bait tank and breathing lovely silicone for what seemed to be 2 hours..... what a headrush followed by a headache.
I fitted a 3/4" PVC pipe into the drain and cut it off just below the upper drain. I attached a 1" bell housing adapter to the pipe and put a standard bilge pump screen from Rule over the top. I am waiting for all parts to dry but I feel really good about the finished product; a major step-up from the previous configuration. Stayed tuned for the fishing results....

Anthony

[Saltdog]

Hi Anthony, I had the same problem. Fifty miles offshore on a rough day I found out about it. That really got my attention.

My boat did not have a livewell plumbed into it either I had it done. I suspect when Albin built the boats they did not seal the tops of those livewells if no bait pumps were plumbed in (bad idea). I used 5200 upside down, using a mirror, three times to finally get it sealed.

With regards to the drain. I glued a 1" piece of pvc pipe over the drain hole & then put a rounded end cap which I had drilled with as many 1/4 inch holes as I could, on it. It drains fine and the anchovies can't stick to it to block the drain. Hopefully that problem is solved.

My new problem is now that at times the pump cavitates at speed and stops pumping. When I stop the boat and turn the pump off and on it works great. When I bring it back up to cruise and check, it seems to continue to work fine for a while, but it ultimately stops working (the pump still runs but doesn't suck any water until I stop and turn it off and back on). I am still working on that problem.

Good luck if you run on Weds (I plan on going Sunday, weather permitting).

TS ("goodidea")

[creekman]

28TE My livewell pump came off the thru hull when we were working on the starter. It was barely screwed in. It could have been a diaster out on the water. Since I do not use the bait well, I put a brass plug in the thru hull.

[RustyTank]

Found the same problem on mine this past summer. Looks like a shaky install from the beginning... got a new pump used an intermediate piece of hoze to make the connection with good clamps

[OldDemps]

Where does the factory wiring harness for the bait well switch end?

My boat never had a bait well pump but has the factory wired dashboard switch and wiring harness. Where should I start to look for the terminus? Somewhere in the Aft Starboard corner I'm guessing...

I've added a bait well pump like other above and would like to use stock wiring / switch if possible rather than new pulling wiring

THANKS

[Hai]

In addition to the overboard drain port side, instead of using a standard plumbing pvc pipe - which does not fit, either too big or too small, I used a rubber hose. good fit, self sealing, flexible.

Not as easily knocked out when you accidentally knock it when chasing bait with net. Quite irritating when your well inadvertently starts draining when full of bait...

Baitwell.jpg

Revised drawing includes a tube pierced through into the flexible hose of the incoming water supply to provide bubbles. Makes live bait happy. Nice to look at as well.

The white bits that hold the hose are rubber sucker thingamajits.

Albin28TEBoatyCall110121 2250.jpg

Lighted Baitwell. It's looks really cool when the cover's opened when dark. Baits are also SUBSTANTIALLY more active.