Building a live well. Trying to be creative

[ajax5240]

Starting from scratch on a boat project interior. Going to make it a "Lund Style" layout inside with two permanently mounted seats for driver And front passenger. Movable pedestals for the rear two passengers that can be moved to the bow or stern for fishing chairs.

Doing a flat deck on the bow with the fishing chair mount, a rod holder for when tying a new lure on, sonar and a bow mount Minn Kota.

I am looking to build a live well into the bow in the area that your feet would be when sitting in the bow with the normal configuration. My concern is sealing the compartment so that water doesn't come slushing out when the boat is pitched up trying to get up on plane.

Planning to build the tank out of fiberglass, going to use a trick I saw on horse power tv or trucks. Basically you can form the shape out of fleece and welding rod for the frame to stretch the fleece over. You then saturate the fleece in fiberglass resin and you are left with rock solid fiberglass. Would likely put a Layer of fiberglass cloth and one to two layers of resin on that. Then likely paint it with the DIY gel coat trick.

 

[ajax5240]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

To keep the water in, I am planning a +\-5" lip on the back area of the tank and probably an overflow pipe. Keeping the water level lower when taking off would be a simple help as well. My issue is I can only have a half length door as I need a place for the seat mount. Have to make sure I can fit my smaller net in there as I'm not reaching my hand in with a bunch of ticked off Walleyes.

Was thinking about getting automotive door weather seal to seal the tank to the lid. Will have to do some shopping for a good latch that will hold the door closed tightly.

Anyone else do a similar project? Any dos or do nots from your experience?

Can anyone see an issue with using 1/2" irrigation hose with the press lock elbows and what not to plumb it? I use em in my garden and never seen one leak a drop.

Thanks for any insight and helpful tips!!

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

I made a free standing one for my pontoon last year out of a 15 gal stainless tank I have made some years ago. its worked very well It has a fill pump on the transom with a separate aerator on a timer.It just depends on how detailed you want to make it.

 

[scottmm73]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

I plan on making one from a Coleman (or equivalent) cooler.

Can anyone see an issue with using 1/2" irrigation hose with the press lock elbows and what not to plumb it? I use em in my garden and never seen one leak a drop.

I don't see anything wrong with that, just be sure to secure the length of hose and connections, so the connections won't vibrate loose.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

1/2" is IMHO too small... I would use 3/4" smooth bore hose.

No need for a seal on the lid as long as the tank is designed right... Had several boats with factory wells and not one ever had a seal.... the tanks are generally no longer front to back than they are deep with a the door spaced away from the back and water level spaced down such that when accelerating the water never reaches the opening.

I wouldn't bother with gel coat inside a live well... bare epoxy would likely be fine or bilge paint would be as good as anything and MUCH easier/cheaper than gel coat.

 

[ajax5240]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

1/2" is IMHO too small... I would use 3/4" smooth bore hose.

No need for a seal on the lid as long as the tank is designed right... Had several boats with factory wells and not one ever had a seal.... the tanks are generally no longer front to back than they are deep with a the door spaced away from the back and water level spaced down such that when accelerating the water never reaches the opening.

I wouldn't bother with gel coat inside a live well... bare epoxy would likely be fine or bilge paint would be as good as anything and MUCH easier/cheaper than gel coat.

Is there any type of "rule of thumb" for how far from the back the door needs to be. I don't have a ton of room between the back of the love well and the spot that a Pedestal seat will be mounted.

The gel coat is just enamel paint with an enamel hardener in it. Pretty cheap.

I was thinking that the 1/2" may be too small. The main reason that I will switch to 3/4 is that all the live well pumps etc are 3/4" or bigger.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

I will toss some pictures of the one I made it may give you some ideas.The fill and aerator kit was 3/4 lines and fittings. I did have to make one change I started out with a 3/4 over flow and it was just to small so I ended up going to a 1 1/2 bath tube over flow and that works fine.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

The last one of it working.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

there are probably formulas used by the manufacturers who design hundreds of them

I would say that in your case some experimentation would get the job dome..... put a couple inches of water in a glass on the floor of the boat and have a helper mark the highest water level on the back when you do your best hole shot... that will give you the angle that the water will reach in your boat... then you can draw up a design and move things around till it all works

 

[ajax5240]

Re: Building a live well. Trying to be creative

Thanks for the pics and ideas! That gave me some ideas to work with.