1986 20' Osprey

[Dukester]

I've had this boat for about two months now and we LOVE her!  She needs a face lift and I work on her to get it the way I want her to be but I really want her to stay classic.  I have many questions about her but for now I really want to install an ariator/pump for the center fishwell in the bow but am not sure how to go about it.  Anyone done this or have suggestions?

[Marcq]

Nice boat, looks well kept.  

About the fish/ice box, it's not really meant to be  a fishwell but more to keep your beer/ fish cool  :)
So what's your plan beside that?

Marc..
Oh, welcome if I haven't already done so  

Marc..

[MarshMarlowe196]

Welcome Dukester!  Nice boat!  I like the color of the interior

About the fish/ice box, it's not really meant to be  a fishwell but more to keep your beer/ fish cool  :)

Marcq is right.  I wouldn't recommend putting a livewell toward the bow at all.  There's just too much movement and turbulence while underway- you'd have water sloshing out of that box everywhere.  Also-  that box would be much bigger than you'd need for a livewell, sacrificing lots of storage, and that would be lotssss of weight in the bow.

Since you have a nice open floorspace in the stern, you could add an aftermarket livewell and plumb it in, or convert the cooler seat, though I sure do like my real cooler over the bow cooler

[Dukester]

Thanks everyone!  I agree about the bow box.  Keeping water in it on the way out to the deeper holes would be a wetter ride than we would want.  I had thought about an aftermarket tank in the stern but think I will just keep with my five gallon buckets.  She needs some cosmetic work with the floor having many spider cracks throughout and a few holes not used or needed.  With all the help on here I'm sure I can get it feeling and looking like new again. That is if I can keep her out of the water.  Momma is pushing to get her on the gulf right now so I better get going.

[CThomps]

I have the exact same boat but with different power.  I'm in the middle of doing some restoration type work on it and will hopefully get to a livewell once the other projects are completed.  

I'm going to do mine towards the transom though.

[pdog1966]

Boat looks great! I'm not an owner yet, but am looking at a 1986 Osprey 20' tomorrow. Was completely repainted - so doesn't have the classic look.  The owner put in a large live well behind the console that is causing a little bit of a soft spot. So, if you don't convert the cooler, the deck has some limitations to size of a live well.  Good luck.

[thill]

Dukester,
What about putting a livewell in the space under the center console seat?  That is a common location, second only to one under the driver's seat, and should center the weight nicely.   Also, it's easy to put a nice gasket under that seat so that water stays IN the livewell.   The trick is getting a livewell that fit's in there.

In my Bayliner, I did this by first making the box from luan.  Then, I layered it up with epoxy and glass cloth.  After about 4 layers, I gave it a good surface coat of epoxy to make sure everything was sealed right, and then I painted the inside with marine paint.   Drilled in the inlet and drain, plumbed them, and viola'!!!  Really big, solid livewell that can handle big fish as well as bait.

Just a thought, but maybe it could be helpful.

-TH

[GoneFission]

It looks like a swingback seat/cooler is installed.  The Todd swingback seats actually make pretty good livewells - assuming you've plumbed then with water and a drain.  Nice rounded shape on the inside - no hard corners.  You can put a PVC riser inside for overflow and you're good to go...