'89 Tournament 19 livewell

[tl7474]

I realize a picture would really help, but I'm not near my boat, so...

The boat is a 19 foot GW tournament, I believe it is a 1989 model. Bowrider.

I want to know exactly what part of this boat is the livewell. There is a compartment just in front of the gas tank compartment in the bilge, that I believe is a livewell. There is a rectangular plastic bin, approximately 6 inches deep, that sits in the compartment. It has no attachments to anything, nor any intake/output tubing. If you remove this, there is an empty cavity that is much bigger, with an opening towards the back. There is standing water in this compartment that seems to dissipate with the bilge pump on, but doesn't completely disappear.

Is the small removable plastic bin an extra storage bin, perhaps for ice and adult beverages, with the livewell underneath and connected to an automatic pump? Or is the small bin the livewell with the compartment below just an empty compartment?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[81Malibu]

That compartment isn't a live well. I believe it's just for storage. Make sure you don't leave standing water in there since your stringers are on the sides. I'm not sure if these boats came with a live well.

 

[Jeff_R]

On my 1988 190 Tournament the live well is in the transom well area in front of the motor...

http://www.greatgrady.com/forum/gallery/image_page.php?album_id=28&image_id=626

 

[Curmudgeon]

:uhm I'm pretty sure what you're looking at is a storage box, with the bilge underneath. Baitwells were an optional add those years, and would look like the pic from Jeff. I'm looking for one for a '80s model T-22 if anyone should run across one ...

 

[jbeyo]

TL7474,
That area is for a live well. It will drop in that same space in place of the 6" storage bin that you have now. It will just hang a lot lower inside the bildge area.
I have owned an 87 Tournament DC and mine came with the live well in place but not plumbed in.
We had to add the bildge pump and attatch to the thru hull for it to dain. It made it nice to live bait king fish with.
It would not hold a lot of bait but worked great. Not sure where you would get one, but it would not be a hard thing to have made.
I will try to dig up some old pics and see if I have any of the live well and the way I hooked up the bildge pump.

 

[jbeyo]

TL7474 ,
This is a pic of my 24 Tournament not my 19, but both were exactly the same with respect to where the 19 has the live well. Both boats have the full transom with seats on either side of this live well. You can see the cutting board on top of the live well lid between the two ladies. I use this space as a trash bin on the 24 as it offers lots more room and access to the pumps and filters. We have a much larger live we use when we fish. You mentioned that you have water in your bilge area? If so and you trailer your boat, pull your plug and let it drain on the way to the house. Also open the seat hatches and the access to this live well and allow that area to dry completely. There should not be water there at all. You can cut a short piece of rope and stick it in the drain hole and it will help wick out that last bit of hard to drain water out.
I am still looking for my other pics from when I sold the 19.

 

[Jeff_R]

Here are some more images of the 190 Tournament Live Well

 

[Willy-C]

I like your livewell setup Jeff.....it sure would be much easier to do repairs in the bilge pump area instead of using the two cover holes

 

[tl7474]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. Getting ready for the fishing season I was doing some more searching and found my own post, not realizing it had been me who posted.

Regardless, I came across this diagram from the 1988 GW catalog. It shows that there is an optional "Removable Fish Well" which is the compartment I was wondering about, as well as an "Optional Livewell" that would live just forward of the motor. I'm not quite sure what the difference is between the intended uses for each.

Now I'm trying to decide between installing a homemade baitwell in the compartment in front of the gas tank or making one using a rectangular 150 quart cooler to put in between the rear seats...Should be fun either way.

 

[bapierce]

Here are some more images of the 190 Tournament Live Well

Ok so....how do you get this puppy working???

 

[Seanic4256]

I have a 1999 Tournament 192. Anyone modify theirs to add a livewell? I like the idea of using the area in front of engine - nice and centered for weight distribution.

Thanks, Sean

 

[Mad_Dog]

Ok so....how do you get this puppy working???

That's my question too. I unscrewed the livewell tub. It is insulated - the fish box ahead of the gas tank is not. It has that fitting at the bottom... mine has a 90 degree 3/4 PVC elbow. It is a barb connection, but there is no hose/pump installed. I'm not sure if the hole at the bottom is a drain, or the inlet. If it's a drain, it looks too low to go overboard above the waterline. If it is an inlet, it would need a spray nozzle installed in the tank, and I'm not sure about the overflow. Would it just go out the top and out the transom? I'd really like to get this working, but not sure about the design.