Repurposing a livewell or baitwell?

On my 2016 Crestliner, I have 2 livewells and 2 baitwells. I don’t use either baitwell and was wondering if a person could use them for storage instead, without getting into a world of s*it from an AIS inspection seeing that it is connected to the outside world via the pump and drain.
If I would put permanent plugs on the drain and sprayer making it watertight and dry, think the DNR would/could site me for it? I don’t want to disconnect the tubing in case I want to use them at a later date.
I’d like to find a bit more storage for all the junk I really don’t need onboard

I’m not concerned about how to do it, but I am about the legal side of it.
Has anyone done this before?

Thanks,
Don

I use mine as strictly storage and never had an issue. As long as there is zero water/species in the tank there is nothing the DNR can do about it. Thankfully my drain hose is easy to access so I just disconnected it and plugged the end so water can’t back feed into the boat, but whatever water that gets into the storage can drain out.

I can’t comment on the legal side of it…. but would never let that even be a concern. You are not filling it with water, your pump should self drain from the pickup when pulled out of the water… no issue in my consideration. Interesting if others think differently.

I turned the water supply off to one of mine…left the interior drain plug in to the keep water from ever coming up, and closed up the overfill drain line on the side of the boat. Just black duct tape worked actually very well and no one can tell. This all worked well, except it isn’t really waterproof if I am a heavy storm as the lid wasn’t really designed to keep water out. Then I just pull the plug if a small amount of water is in there. Everything stored there is in large zip lock bags or plastic containers.

No reason you can’t do it as long as you keep it dry or drain any water that comes in. I used plugs where they fit and a soft rubber ball in a plastic bag for the overflow. You can push the ball in tight and pull it out with the bag if you want it out. Many boats will get back wash through the overflow if it isn’t pluged.

Perfect!

Chuck Melcher wrote:

Everything stored there is in large zip lock bags or plastic containers.

I like that idea Chuck.

munchy wrote:

I use mine as strictly storage and never had an issue. As long as there is zero water/species in the tank there is nothing the DNR can do about it

Thanks for the input guys!

Another follow up question….does anyone really use their baitwells? I like the idea, but just not practical.
Unless it’s below 40 degrees outside, whatever you put in there is going to die. Don

slab-hunter wrote:

Another follow up question….does anyone really use their baitwells? I like the idea, but just not practical.
Unless it’s below 40 degrees outside, whatever you put in there is going to die.

I have… usually only when I am staying in one place for a couple days where I can leave it running and have the boat plugged in over night, while docked at say a resort or something. Besides that, when I do use minnows I use a stand up drink style cooler that I built a small air pump (fish tank) into it. Drop some ice in, and they live much longer.

Enjoy the new season!