Intake for Livewell BELOW water line. Would like a plug fitting. Does it exist?

777funk

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
150
I just picked up an 89 bass boat and the fittings (hose barb fittings) to the pumps for the livewell are below the water line. Obviously if I replace these with more plastic barb fittings and these or the hoses break, I'll be in trouble.

Where can I find a plug type fitting that will eliminate this?

Also, if I did use similar fittings, almost all hose intakes say for 'ABOVE the water line'. Can I find them for below?
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,222
I would be looking to install a ball valve somewhere so it can be closed for the just in case!! Had a boat some years back with same situation but it did have a valve near the livewell to close so accidents didn't happen.
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Um, a water intake kind of HAS to be below the waterline. Otherwise, it would be an air intake!
 

777funk

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
150
Yes on the intake NYBo, and I should have clarified. I no longer have live-wells (they were trash and I don't need them). So these fittings would not be used.

I do like the ball valve idea for safety. Really I'd prefer to just have them plugged off with some sort of fitting if available.
 

Teamster

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 8, 2010
Messages
1,923
Most of the live-well intakes I've seen are threaded for a screen on the outside of the boat,....

I know guys that buy a threaded end cap in the plumbing isle to close off their live-wells during the winter for fishing on the river,..
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995
If you want to eliminate the fittings, plugging them with make shift items is adding risk.

Remove them all together.
Fit a wood plug to fill the holes, then use Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty to seal them up, inside and out.
Less expensive than Ball Valves, more reliable, and only you will ever know they existed.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
Um, a water intake kind of HAS to be below the waterline. Otherwise, it would be an air intake!

The cheap plastic fittings used on so many boats are not approved for use below the water line. Only metal and Marelon fittings are approved for that application
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,222
If you are not going to use the intakes at all then permanently plug them or just remove them all together. I was under the impression that you were only concerned about "just in case" is why I suggested the ball valves.
 
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