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Open

9 Models • 21' → 40'

Built for families who want serious offshore capability, premium comfort and the freedom to fish, cruise or entertain.

Sportsman 402 center console boat with tower, white hull, and outboard engine in side profile view

Open 402

White center console fishing boat with hard-top canopy and outboard engine shown in side profile

Open 352

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and outboard engine shown in profile view

Open 322

Sportsman 302 center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine in gray and white hull

Open 302

Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and Yamaha outboard engine shown from starboard side

Open 282

Light blue Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and Yamaha outboard engine

Open 262

Sportsman 252 center console boat with turquoise hull, hard-top, and outboard engine in profile view

Open 252

Sportsman open center console boat with hard-top, outboard engine, and tan seating in blue and white hull design

Open 232

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, side profile view against white background

Open 212

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Heritage

4 Models • 23' → 32'

A refined crossover lineup designed for coastal cruising, ample seating, family days and some fishing when the moment calls for it.

Turquoise and white center console boat with hard-top and outboard motor, shown in side profile

Heritage 321

Turquoise and white center console fishing boat with hard-top, Yamaha engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Heritage 261

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine shown in profile view

Heritage 251

Sportsman Heritage 231 center console boat with hard-top, outboard engine, and tan seating in light blue and white

Heritage 231

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Masters

6 Models • 22' → 28'

Shallow-water performance, fishing-focused layouts and everyday comfort built for family life and fishing.

Side profile of a blue and white center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine

Masters 287

Blue and white Sportsman bay boat with Yamaha outboard engine and T-top against white background

Masters 267

Blue and white Sportsman center console fishing boat with Yamaha outboard motor and T-top shade structure

Masters 267OE

SportCraft Masters 247 bay boat with hard-top, Yamaha outboard engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Masters 247

Sportsman center console bay boat with hard-top, Yamaha outboard engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Masters 247OE

Sportsman 227 bay boat in turquoise and white with T-top, center console helm, and outboard motor in side profile view

Masters 227

 
Blog > Understanding Livewells

Whether it's the flexibility of the bay boat configuration, the versatility of the premium setup, or the precision of the sportfish offshore design, Sportsman's live well systems are well suited.

November 8, 2023
Tech Talk
Cover image for the post Understanding Livewells
  • There are three live well configurations (bay boat, premium and sportfish offshore) designed to match different fishing styles.
  • Bay boat lets you partially fill the starboard tank and aerate without running the main pump, which helps when handling small baits.
  • Sportfish offshore uses two pumps, adjustable overflows and pressurized water to reduce bait damage on offshore runs.
Chase Schelble
Technical Sales Representative

At Sportsman we offer a few different live well configurations across our product line that best align with the style of fishing that will typically take place on each boat. Our bay, premium, and sportfish offshore are the 3 configurations, each having tailored systems that best suit their different needs. First, is the bay boat configuration. This design offers a recirculating pump and a pro air pump on the starboard tank along with the standard live well feed pumps on both port and starboard tanks.

This gives you the option on the starboard side to fill the tank ¼ or ½ full in situations where you have small crustations or a few smaller baits and don’t need to fill the tank completely. In this situation you are still able to circulate water through the tank as well as aerate the water without having to run the main pump thus keeping the water level low making it easier to handle baits. This system is also available on the 247OE model in the front deck.

Second, is the premium configuration. This a classic design that offers a single pump that feeds one large tank or 2 (port and starboard) tanks with a grated overflow. With this design the live well pump is meant to be run continuously allowing raw water to constantly enter the tank thus aerating and moving the water in the tank. Once the tank is full the excess simply flows out of the overflow allowing fresh water back into the tank.

Lastly, is the sportfish design that has been meticulously crafted for offshore use. This system has two pumps (one for each tank port and starboard) as well as adjustable overflow valves. In this system the feeder pumps are also designed to run at all times while in use. The purpose of the adjustable overflows is to allow the tank to be pressurized thus drastically reducing damage to bait while running in offshore conditions. With the water under pressure the sloshing of water in the tanks is eliminated thus giving you one more advantage over the competition.

These different configurations give anglers options based on their fishing needs and the types of bait they'll be using. Whether it's the flexibility of the bay boat configuration, the versatility of the premium setup, or the precision of the sportfish offshore design, Sportsman's live well systems are well suited for a variety of fishing scenarios.

For a more in-depth understanding of our bay boat livewells be sure to check out our Tech Talk episode on the topic.