How do I drain livewell?

klaypigeon

Recruit
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
2
I bought a boat last year that needed some repairs. 1989 16' Smokercraft CR0. I finished up the repairs this year and I am left with one outstanding question, how the *&^% do I empty the livewell?

Here is the configuration. Livewell pump is through transom below water line. Pump connects via 3/4 hose to bottom of livewell where it can either jet on the bottom or be valved up to a pipe at the top with some holes in it to create a little aeration. There is an overflow at the top that goes out the side of the boat above the waterline. I flip the switch, the livewell fills and runs just fine. I turn the switch off and I have a full livewell. I still have a full livewell in my garage a week later. I thought maybe I need to run the pump out of the water, but this does nothing. There are no other holes in the welded aluminum livewell. Was this how this thing was designed? Did they just forget to add some means to drain it? Am I supposed to use a siphon or something? Do I need to rig some kind of reverse switch onto the livewell pump?

Confused...
 

mrallen007

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
234
Re: How do I drain livewell?

Generally the overflow pipe screws into the base of the livewell in the actual drain. When you want to fill it, you thread in the overflow and fill it using the pump. When you want to drain it, unscrew the overflow from the base of the livewell. Is this they way yours is set up? Are there any openings at all in the base of the livewell? They are usually gravity drained once you're out of the water through some opening in the bottom.
 

klaypigeon

Recruit
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
2
Re: How do I drain livewell?

Nope, there are no other openings in the livewell. Just the drain at the top and the inlet at the bottom, both on the same side. See attached bad drawing.

livewell.jpg
 

mrallen007

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
234
Re: How do I drain livewell?

I'm not familiar with that design. But I'll do some digging and asking around. Hopefully someone here will have some better information for you. It does make me wonder if it's meant to be pumped out through the inlet. Does your pump have two conductors or three? It would seem to me if it's the original pump and has three conductors then perhaps it was meant to be reversible. If it is the original pump and only has two conductors or if the pump has been replaced then I'm not sure.
 

Starcraftobsession

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Messages
41
Re: How do I drain livewell?

I think what you will want to do is fill your livewell through the top bar that has the holes in it. Then you have your overflow so that you can keep the pump running without overflowing your livewell. The bottom hole inside your livewell is for draining it ONLY! You will have two holes in the back of your boat. One for intake. That one will have the round screen thing so your not sucking up junk. The other hole is to empty or the outlet. Hopefully your boat is aluminum! Drilling is much easier
:)
 

ultra353

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
387
Re: How do I drain livewell?

I have a Smokercraft Resorter with the exact same livewell set up. I bought the boat as a project with the livewell not hooked up. And as you are I have no idea of how it came set-up to empty it.
 
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