FS14- Bayou City Boat

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cape man
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by cape man »

Before I answer...the overflow for the live well goes to the bait well and is slightly higher than the over flow for the bait well. There is not a separate overflow out the boat from the live well. The overflow out of the bait well goes back to the pump if you want to recirculate water, or out of the boat if you want to have flow through.

Does the live well start overflowing into the boat when the bait well is full?
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TomW1
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by TomW1 »

OrangeQuest since you have screens on the overflows you must increase the size of the out flow. Also, you have an L at the Live well tank and another at the bait well tank both of these will restrict water flow from the live well tank. Plus, the screen you have on the live bait tank restricts water flow. This is why you have water flowing out of the live well tank. you need a bigger hose or one going directly to the oval drain hole and not connecting to the bait well.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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OrangeQuest
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by OrangeQuest »

cape man wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:12 pm Before I answer...the overflow for the live well goes to the bait well and is slightly higher than the overflow for the bait well. There is not a separate overflow out the boat from the live well. The overflow out of the bait well goes back to the pump if you want to recirculate water, or out of the boat if you want to have flow through.

Does the live well start overflowing into the boat when the bait well is full?
Thank you for putting some thought into my problem.
Both wells share the same outflow fitting back to sea water. Lowering the elbow coming out of the baitwell lowered the tee they both share and the livewell no longer drains into the baitwell, it just doesn't drain enough to keep the livewell from overflowing into the boat. I tried taking a picture, but it is such a cramped area, don't think it will help and can't really tell the angle very well.

The only difference between the two, is the drain hose from the livewell to the exit fitting is around 20" total and the baitwell hose is about 8". They both share the same number of 90 deg turns (elbows or the tee). My theory is the length the livewell travels and there is not enough drop to drain enough water from the livewell.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
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OrangeQuest
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by OrangeQuest »

TomW1 wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 11:37 pm OrangeQuest since you have screens on the overflows you must increase the size of the out flow. Also, you have an L at the Live well tank and another at the bait well tank both of these will restrict water flow from the live well tank. Plus, the screen you have on the live bait tank restricts water flow. This is why you have water flowing out of the live well tank. you need a bigger hose or one going directly to the oval drain hole and not connecting to the baitwell.

Tom
Thank you, Tom, for your thoughts.

The screens are large enough to not restrict water flow till trash or dead bait block them enough to restrict them. They are part of the Flow-rite system. They both share the same number of screens and elbows (90deg turns). I think the restriction is the length of hose from the livewell is much longer, 20" verses about 8," and there just isn't enough downward angle for it to drain the overflow correctly. I don't want to have to drill a bigger hole or patch the hole I have and drill a new one deeper down the transom. I think I have to live with this blunder. :?

This part of the "sea trails" can be done in the parking lot "lab" in a controlled environment so rocking of the boat is ruled out as cause for water spilling out of the wells. Please keep in mind I can divide the flowrate between both wells as well as the return. In theory, when wanting to keep fish alive, I can fill the large tank up and then maintain its level by dividing the flow between the smaller tank that can overflow correctly. Still need to test this. Hope that makes sense. I would like to know the limits of everything on the little boat before it bites me on the water.

I can just imagine, anchored up somewhere at night, and the bilge pump kicks in. First thing I am going to think is the boat is sinking! But all it is, is the livewell overflowing into the boat. :lol: :lol: Oh the adventures we are going to have.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by cape man »

The drain for the live well is working against the head pressure of the baitwell. If you can the simplest thing would be to reduce the flow to the live well and see if it will drain. You'll figure it out!
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by TomW1 »

I agree with cape man and always use fresh water, not recirculated water for the live well with the reduced flow. One thing I don't see is a drain for either the bait or live wells to empty them when you are done using them. Are they at the bottom of the tank?

Tom
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OrangeQuest
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by OrangeQuest »

TomW1 wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 2:08 pm I agree with cape man and always use fresh water, not recirculated water for the live well with the reduced flow. One thing I don't see is a drain for either the bait or live wells to empty them when you are done using them. Are they at the bottom of the tank?
Tom
Yes, you turn the actuator to "DRAIN" and turn the pump off. All water then drains out the pickup. Just select which well you want to drain. Both drains are higher than the pickup so everything will empty. And that can be done while the boat is still in the water, moving or not. The pump has to be on for the tanks to fill up. To fill the wells, flip actuator to "AUTO" and it fills up the well as long as the pickup is under the waterline. When the boat starts moving, doesn't take to much speed, the pickup comes above the waterline and the system will recirculate the water in the well. But air is sucked through the system, so the water becomes even more aeriated than with the venturi nozzles alone. The "RECIRCULATE" seals off outside water so you can keep trash from the wells or take the boat out of the water and keep the live bait and/or fish alive. The venturi nozzles pull air from outside the wells, mixes with the discharge flow, so adds oxygen back to the wells. This method works well to keep more bait/fish in less water.

I spent a lot of time researching, measuring and testing the system before it was even installed. Even had to figure how deep the boat needed to sit for the pump to self-prime, but no water coming into the wells without the pump running. The one part I spent no time on was the overflow drain. Just needed to know what size hole and the water would just fall out. Again, my blunder.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

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OrangeQuest
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by OrangeQuest »

So the FS14 skiff known as Ana Marie is in full service and used for "work" and non-work adventures. Yesterday, I decided to do a below sole inspection and found the forward access to below the sole, the foam was wet. pushed my finger down in the foam and got water. It did not come from the access port. So dug the foam out to find the forward locker drain leaking at where it enters the first frame. digging the foam out was annoying due to it is where the wiring comes out of the chase tubes for the aft wiring. The chase tubes are all sealed up and where I had to extend the wiring to the dash connections are all sealed up so ok for water to be there. But it has nowhere to drain. The drain tube itself is about 3" off the bottom of the hull to allow water to drain from the forward lockers even if the boat is level, so the drain is pitched down.

access to where the drain tube enters the frame is impossible to access without cutting the sole out. or cutting the forward frame out. I think I can cut the drain tube at the access port, pull out the drain tube forward section, update how it mounts, add a ton of sealer around the end and stick it back in the frame. How annoying and just as you think the build is finished.

pics to follow.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

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OrangeQuest
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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by OrangeQuest »

Closer inspection, I cut the forward section of the drain tube out and can see two places the sealer did not seal completely around the drain tube. I built a small deck that raises where the batteries are mounted and looks like my best option to access were the drain starts at. But would still be working from the back side of it.

What sucks is the drain is only for the two forward lockers that hold the anchor line, bow line and stern lines on the starboard side and the 4 fenders on the port side. The locker hatches seal well enough to prevent most water from ever getting past them. But I take everything out, let the lines and fenders air out and then rinse the lockers clean of any debris and rinse any lake water out after each outing. One of the very first things installed before installing and gluing down the sole. And the drain was tested for leaks before putting the sole down. Time for a design change. The Ana Marie is dry docked for the time being.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

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Re: FS14- Bayou City Boat

Post by pee wee »

That's got to be frustrating to have to not only repair, but possibly redesign the drain. Is there a way to drain the water onto the deck? In other words, no penetration of the sole needed?
Hank

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