Ex-Aquasport/Wellcraft employee (Bob C)...

[seabob4]

Rick,
That pic of your cockpit, the water below it looks exactly like Sarasota Bay getting toward dusk.  Are you on the bay?  Maybe at the south end?

[RickK]

Was taken at Turtle Beach ramp in the AM.

[seabob4]

Rick,
Now that I look at the light, it is a morning light.  I'm a north end guy, Bird Key north, lived on Manatee Ave W, couple miles east of Palma Sola.  Used to wade Palma Sola, the Ringling flats, Manatee River.  Usually launched out of Kingfish ramp on thr west side of the ICW on Manatee, or would go with my buddies either out of 10th st or City Island.  The bay was always tremendous for all species, but I tell you what, the Manatee river was excellent as well.

[pete]

Bob,
You mentioned something about the fish box pumpout.Is there a way to get the fishbox on a 225 osprey to pump all the way out?
Thanks,
Pete

[seabob4]

Pete,
First and foremost, she's a beaut.  Didn't build your girl, but built 100s just like her.  Hope that Yamaha is a 250, as 225 was a little light.  Tournament Master package, I see, which was a tremendous deal.

Alright, on to your fishbox.  You'll see that it drains through a screened fitting on the aft wall of the fishbox, about 1" above the bottom of the box.  Therefore, you'll always have some water/crap in there.  The pump used to drain it is a piece of s*** Johnson livewell pump, I think 500GPH.  So you have too choices.  First, get rid if that pump and glass over the drain hole, then redrill for a hole in the bottom of the drain well, install an 1 1/2" t/hull drain, plumbed to a macerator pump mounted in the starboard bilge which pumps out overboard on the starboard side.  Easily done, and you have the ability to pump out fish guts and the like without fear of jamming up the pump.

This was about the only thing that I thought should have been improved on the 225/250 Ospreys.  BTW, that little notch on the starboard side of your splashwell, that was for clearance for the steering cylinder when twin 150s were hung.  Now that was a quick boat!  Any other questions you have, feel free to ask.

[pete]

Thanks Bob thats a great idea.I agree with you,that is the only flaw in the boats design.What do you think of using the thru hull for the existing pump on the port side and mounting the pump next to the washdown pump?Also do you know what they did with all of the aquasport surplus parts?I'm sure some of the other guys would like to know too.
Thanks,
Pete

[seabob4]

Pete,
Yes, using that T/Hull is the obvious choice, but the Johnson had a 3/4" discharge, whereas a macerator pump has a 1" discharge hose.  Should be able to change the t/hull as I believe it dumps out on the starboard side, and you can get at it through the access door below the tackle center.  You can always pull the whole assembly out, makes starboard side bilge access a walk in the park.  Plenty of room to mount a macerator pump on a stringer down there.

As far as Aquasport surplus parts, a lot of people don't realize that Aquasports and Wellcrafts were built on the same lines, by the same people, using the same hardware.  Any hardware would have been sold to, and available at Marine Surplus.  The one on 15th.  Give them a call, they'll know.  Will probably charge you way more than they paid for it, though.

[ed]

Jumping in on your conversation re the fish box dilemma. I have a 2000 215 Osprey Sport with the same problem but much more pronounced on the starboard fishbox. To do the fix that you were suggesting ie replace the Johnson pump with a macerator pump, presents a problem as far as obtaining access to the pump.
Any suggestions... I'm not as flexible today as i was yesterday.

Enjoying your other suggestions.

[seabob4]

Ed,
Get back with you tomorrow.

[seabob4]

Ed,
Does your Starboard fishbox hold a puddle of water at the aft end because the drain fitting seems to be "too high"?  You're correct about bilge access in the 215.  PITA!

[ed]

When I return to the boat after a week at the office the starboard fish box sometimes is completely filled (depending on how much rainfall occurred) whereas the port fishbox will have much less water and sometimes just below the drain plug. When I engage the fishbox pump it will drain the fishbox so the drain is not blocked. The dual batteries are on the starboard side so there is a slight list to starboard but not enuf that you would notice, but maybe thats all that the rain needs to accumulate .

Another issue concerns putting a kicker motor on the 215 Osprey Sport. A local marina, not familiar with the aquasport superior design has told me that an installation of a 9.9 Merc Pro Kicker with power lift has to be done on the starboard side of the vessel because of the motor well design. This doesn't sound right to me but what do I know... I know I want the kicker on the port side to equalize the weight on the boat  (I don't have trim tabs). What do you think?

[seabob4]

Ed,
The problem with insole fishboxes is that, although they have gutter drain channels that the hatch fits into, quite often they aren't deep enough.  Thus, if you have a heavy downpour, the water flowing off the deck and into these gutters will be too much for the gutters to drain off and water will overflaow into the fishbox.  A slight starboard list would obviously explain the situation you describe.  Now one thing you can do to help get rid of this problem is to put a good neoprene gasket on top of the gutter drain dam to help the dam seal to the bottom of the hatch.  Get some modelers clay and put some small pieces, about 3/4" tall on top of that gutter dam, then close the hatch.  Open it back up and measure the height of the clay.  This will tell you the gap between the dam and the hatch.  If it's around a 3/8" or so we use this stuff made by Trim-Lok that works real well for us for the same purpose.  If you want some, I can get you more than enough cheap.  Let me know.

Now, as far as adding a kicker, well I find it unusual that someone would say that it has to go on the starboard side because of the splashwell.  Well, isn't the splashwell symmetrical?  The only aspect of the splashwell that anything to do with the motor is that the rigging enters into the splashwell from the starboard side.  I would definitely mount it on the port side, so as to try and balance the boat as best as possible.  I would also suggest Teleflexes HO6010 Tie bar kit for kicker motors. That way you can steer from the helm.

Any other questions, feel free.

[ed]

Thanx for the advice. I'll try the clay thing in the spring as the Osprey is sealed up for a Canadian hard water season! I envy you southern boys... but at least we can play hockey... go Leafs go!

I'll keep an eye on the site for your valuable insights.
Great site for all Aquasporters(?).

[seabob4]

Ed,
Don't forget about the boat over the winter.

You're right about living down here.  Actually, a "cold" front moved through this evening, we should see highs in the low 70s tomorrow.

But we would like to see snow...Take care.

[RickK]

Hey Bob, did Aquasport/Wellcraft/Genmar follow a specific standard for wiring, i.e. a numbering system - like #14 was the neg line to the bilge pump, etc?
I think there is a marine color code posted in our Resources forum, but numbering standards from "the inside" would be a plus.