Plastic fitting on the bottom of boat..... What is it?

[n4cer26]

Just bought a 14 foot aluminum boat and noticed there is a plastic fitting on the bottom of it. It goes up into the boat inside a little compartment beneath a seat. There is a hole on the inside with drain plug. Is this for a bilge pump? Never seen one on the bottom of the boat. If not, what's this for? I haven't got it wet yet and don't want to go gurgling down on my maiden voyage..... Lol. Thanks for the help!

 

[fhhuber]

livewell drain

 

[GA_Boater]

Looks like a live well or fish box drain.

 

[n4cer26]

Hmmmm. I have never had a live well. Can anyone point me in the right direction for info on setting one up using that existing drain? Thanks for the replies by the way!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I don't see a water line to the livewell. Is there one you didn't get in your photo? If not it's just a fish box not a livewell. You can put fish on ice that you intend on keeping or just use it for dry storage. I have a livewell I don't use and keep stuff in it. Some use them as a inefficient cooler. You can line it with closed cell insulation and turn it into a cooler. When the ice has melted pull the plug, on dry land!

I hope the plug is screwed in if it is on the underside of the hull.

 

[n4cer26]

Is there a plug that should be in it from the bottom of the hull? I noticed that the opening inside the boat has a drain plug.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Yes it definitely is a drain of some sorts. There is not supposed to be a plug for the one on the hull. Only on the inside. At least that is how it is in my boat but I'm pretty sure that is an across the board thing.

 

[fhhuber]

To fill it you start by putting the plug in ... from the inside of the live well. That's why there are plugs laying in it.

There should be pipe connections near the top of that compartment.
One will lead overboard above the water line. That is the overflow.
One should have a spray nozzle. That is the recirculation/aeration. That should lead back to a pump and then back to A Y with the fill pump line or to its own second connection near the bottom. of the live well.
The last one should lead to a pump and then to the transom. that is the fill pump.

Occasionally the fill pump is the recirc and the system just uses fill+ overflow + drain.

sometimes its just the drain and an overflow... you fill it with a bucket and use a portable bait bucket air pump for aeration.

since there are a few ways to do it... we could outline all of the possibilities. (and there are a lot of permutations) but those are the main setups.

 

[sphelps]

Probably a good idea to replace the plastic one with a metal one seeing as it is on the bottom of the hull.. Looks like it's already chewed up a bit ...

 

[gm280]

I second sphelps' idea. I would certainly buy a metal replacement drain feed through and then work on a live well setup if you don't already have one. It looks like a storage area that can be used for a fish area with ice. And then you remove the plug on the inside to allow the water to flow out. However, If you actually want a live well then you can plumb it for such a live well. I am assuming there is no other inlet holes. And so you will have to do some work to make it a live well. You will need a live well pump, some hose and an inlet fitting to allow you to fill it up. If you want to go that route, let us know for more detailed info. JMHO