My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

[kyleax1]

I have a 1988 Procraft Fish N Ski 1880v. It has a livewell in the front and one in the back. The back one only fills when its turned on and the front one fills as soon as you put it in the water. We have taken the boat out numerous times without having this problem. Today we took the boat out and we noticed the cooler storage compartment in the front (its a plastic compartment that has a drain in the bottom of it) was overflowing into the boat and the front livewell was overflowing into the boat as well. We turned the boat around and took it out of the water. Now at home we put a water hose up to the hole where the front livewell pulls its water from and the livewell started filling up. Once the livewell got about half full the storage compartment started filling up, and eventually both compartments completely filled and started overflowing into the boat. I generally can figure things out but short of putting a stopper in the front livewell hole and just not using the front livewell, I have no idea why this is all of a sudden happening, what's causing it, or how to fix it. Anyone know what the problem is here?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

You'll probably need to post some pictures or explain the connections inside the livewell and compartment, chances of someone here with the same exact boat and knowing how it's plumbed might be slim.

Did this just start happening, are the 2 boxes plumbed together, do you have a plugged overflow hose, how and where did the second compartment start filling?

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Does the overflow problem only happen when the boat is moving?

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

This is the first time it's happened and it's not like I've done any work on the boat that would cause it. I went out a few weeks ago and everything went fine, but today it didn't go fine.

I took some pictures, but won't be able to post them until tomorrow.

There are two holes under the boat. One goes directly to the livewell and the other goes to the plastic storage compartment. Neither have ever needed to be plugged. But now I had to plug the one to the plastic storage compartment just to keep water from draining into it(it's just supposed to drain water out and always has until now without the need of a plug) The hole at the bottom of the boat that goes to fill and empty the livewell has never been plugged and I don't have a plug that fits that hole.

The livewell has two hole in it, one at the bottom of the compartment that is supposed to drain water out and one mid way up it that the water pours in from. The water flows in, but does not drain out until the boat it out of the water. Until the boat is pulled out of the water the livewell will continue to fill and then it will start to fill the plastic storage compartment (the storage compartment is about a foot from the livewell). Once they both fill they just continue to fill and overflow into the floor of the boat.

I'm not sure if I explained this very well, so hopefully when I post the pics tomorrow it will make it easier to visualize.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

I'm sure you've done this already, but is there a seacock valve? If there is, shut it. It sounds like your livewells are below the waterline, and that's why they would over-flow. Are you sitting lower in the water than normal? Might be wet foam or another weight issue causing this. If everything else checks out, you can plug the fills on each of the livewells from inside the boat, that way if you want them to fill, it's easier to fill and stop.

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Does the overflow problem only happen when the boat is moving?

My wife said that once we got to the boat launch and I got out to pull the trailer down that the compartments stayed full of water, but it stopped spilling over into the floor.

So what did that just tell you?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Water will seek it's own level, is the boat sitting lower than usual? I can't think of anything else that would cause the overflow with a passive (not pumped) system.

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Water will seek it's own level, is the boat sitting lower than usual? I can't think of anything else that would cause the overflow with a passive (not pumped) system.

The boat sat no lower, in the water, than it normally does.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

The 2 thru-hull fittings, are they separate with each one draining 1 compartment, or they in common, 1 fitting draining both boxes? When I mentioned "plugged" I was referring to an obstruction, bug nest, ball of weeds, etc., but the rubber plug you mentioned would do the same. You will probably have to do some more testing with a water hose to see if you can figure out how it's plumbed, water into each thru-hull fitting, water in each tank. See if you can find an obstruction, leak. I re-plumbed my livewells and both of the hoses were packed with tiny weed pieces...

If (if) both boxes are drained through a common thru-hull, and that thru-hull has an obstruction, it could cause your problem. My boat had both livewells drained through a common thru-hull.

Do the boxes have an overflow or just drains. IE: inside each box, 1- pump fitting 2- drain fitting, 3- overflow fitting?

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

The compartment on the left and the livewell on the right.

Top livewell hole

Bottom livewell hole

inside of livewell

This fills the Livewell first but then starts filling the storage compartment when livewell half'ish full. (I didn't pay that close of attention at what water level the livewell was at when it started filling the storage compartment.)

This fills both the livewell and the storage compartment at a moderate rate, (it can be plugged).

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

What's missing off the bottom pic, looks like there used to be a cover or strainer on there at one time. At speed, I could see water being forced up through that uncovered thru-hull fitting.

Looks like the 2 thru-hulls are for the pump and drain, drain being in common with the 2 boxes. Once the livewell fills to a certain level, the drain line backflows into the compartment. At least that's my SWAG...

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

This fills both the livewell and the storage compartment at a moderate rate, (it can be plugged).

Your missing something right here. The fitting is broken.

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

With the plug in it it should not back up and over flow; so I should still be able to use the boat until I can replace that part, right?
Or do I need to replace the part all together before I take it back out?

Is there a way to test whether this will work or not without being on the water?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Oh man the sealing flange is gone, water is getting in where it shouldn't. Your really lucky if that seal is still good, if water has entered the space between the deck and the hull may already have saturated foam, is there a lower drain plug low on the stern? Getting a little off topic here but your problem may be bigger than it seems.

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?id=1270218216&aid=72757

Those pictures will show you everything you should need to know.

 

[kyleax1]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Yes, There is a lower drain hole low on the stern.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Oh man the sealing flange is gone, water is getting in where it shouldn't. Your really lucky if that seal is still good, if water has entered the space between the deck and the hull may already have saturated foam, is there a lower drain plug low on the stern? Getting a little off topic here but your problem may be bigger than it seems.

^Exactly. Looks like the seal is broken off, and you are getting water in between the hull and deck. At this point, I'd take a guess that your foam is soaked, and that you are sitting lower then you should be/used to, and that's the cause of your problem with the livewell. If you're lucky, the livewell will be the biggest issue, but I'm really thinking you need to at least check your foam, and most likely replace. There's that winter project you were looking for.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Yes, There is a lower drain hole low on the stern.

Have you pulled that plug lately to check for a water?
Don't have a facebook to log into for viewing your photos.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

Aww geez, I can't believe I didn't see the fitting was broken off :redface:

Yes, There is a lower drain hole low on the stern.

You have a fiberglass hull, right? The stern plug will drain the interior of the boat, but won't drain inside the hull. Personally, (knowing the thru-hull fitting needs to be replaced anyway) I'd bust the fitting loose and feel for water inside the hull, finger, paper towel, hose, string, etc.

Or,,, jack up the back of the trailer and tilting it so any water in the hull will flood to that thru-hull, then look for water coming out between the hull and fitting. Maybe back it up a steep incline at an angle. Leave it like that and look for water streaming/dripping out.

I'm with the others on the soaked foam issue, it's bad if water got inside the hull. Water logged foam can add several hundred (3-400?) pounds to the boat. And if there's a bunch of standing water in there...

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: My boat livewell fills and then overflows into the boat, but I don't know why.

My boat has a stern plug way down low just above the keel, it drains the air space between the hull and the deck, seat base mounts and other through deck mounting points can leak from rain water splash ect.
Then another plug just above it that drains the deck (boat sinks in a hurry if left out), then a third plug that leads to the splash well which stays open at all times.
I left the very bottom plug out one day and after a while I noticed the water beginning to accumilate, the whole airspace was full of like 500 gallons of water, water was oozing up through my seat base mounting holes.