Live well system?

[HookMaster]

I am currently in the process of tearing out and installing a new floor in my '78 19' Manatee. I am wanting to make a live well box/seat with a through hull pump. I wish to know what I need to do and how the through hull fitting, pump and drain line should be installed.

Any help? I fish on a 21ft Wellcraft that has a seat/live well and would like to duplicate this on my project

Thanks,

Don

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Live well system?

i prefer the poly thru hull fittings. the intake has to be below water line, hose to pump then hose to well with another thru hull fitting. the drain and overflow can be pipe together. drain in bottom of life well (thur hull fitting) you can put a cork or plug in and an overflow (thur hull) at the max level you want water, consider rocking of the boat when calculating this level. connect both fitting together, and exit to thru hull that has to be lower than the bottom of the live well. i hope this makes sence to you. if not i can draw a diagram. on request.

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Live well system?

I assume that there is two through hull fittings below water line and both through hull fittings are below bottom level of live well.

I can ask my fishing partner to show me where the through hull fittings are located on his boat and i can duplicate his system. Obviously the pump must be located where it can be serviced or replaced.

Thanks for your input. I am sure I can get it right.

Just makes me nervous to have below water line fittings. Saw a 28' boat sink last year because of it!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Live well system?

thats why i like the poly fittings, they seal real well and don't corrode. should be place where they can be serviced also, just in case. always have a good bilge pump. if bilge pump fails and the engine will run you can always pull the drain plug and get the bow up fast enough the boat will self drain. we use to do that al the time when sking as 10 gallons of water is easy to bring aboard when you are wet, and thats an addition 70 lbs, in the stearn. pull the plug and drain it off while running along. just remember to put the plug back before you stop.

 

[Safari]

Re: Live well system?

HookMaster,

Try this link, it will give you some ideas.
http://www.fishing-boating.com/articles/walker.htm

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Live well system?

Thanks for the link. That is a big help........

Don

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Live well system?

The livewell in my Lund uses a pump drawing water through the transom and feeding through a hose to the top of the livewell. The well drains from the bottom of course and that hose leads back to the line that feeds water in where there's a valve. To drain the well I open the valve and the water drains back out through the pump when it's off of course. The well has overflow hoses that lead to through-hull fittings so it will drain off excess water rather than overflow into the boat.

To fill, close the valve and start the pump. To drain, open the valve, although it's slow and won't drain completely until it's out of the water.

If I were going to make my own I'd think about using a large cooler of some sort as the livewell. You're starting with something that's insulated and doesn't leak. If you plan to use it as a baitwell also adding ice can make minnows last a whole lot longer than warm lake water.

This is difficult to describe so I hope what I've said makes sense.

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Live well system?

HookMaster,

Try this link, it will give you some ideas.
http://www.fishing-boating.com/articles/walker.htm

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Live well system?

Looked at the Keep Alive diagram. There is only one through hull fitting shown in the installation spec. Can that be correct?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Live well system?

look again there are 2 one near the keel and the over flow on the gunnel. either type this or my method are good, i don't care for the transom mount as i have seen oil get pickup while trolling and running fresh water. keep alive can be use as a recirculating system,, where mine is all fresh water.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Live well system?

the problem with a stern drain is that the live well does not drain fully. No sense hauling a half full live well of water around with you when there are no fish in it. I closed of the stern drain and installed a pump to pump the livewell empty. How the drain works depends on how high it sits in the boat. If the bottom of the well is above the water line it will drain fully by gravity. If not, it wont.