18' livewell conversion
 

Thinking of adding a livewell under the leaning post on the 18 to eliminate the wet feet sydrome.
Anyone on here done that?
What are any problems I should be aware of (bulkheads in the way and such)?

My thinking is to close off the floor well (but leave the drain and use it for a wet compartment for nets and such).

Run the existing plumbing up front of it and come up thru the floor into the post/well.

Here's a pic of the post.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...3/100_0902.jpg

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Heres an old thread of how i did mine http://www.classicseacraft.com/forum...r=55439&Forum= .

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Go to page 9 of the Ft. DeSoto gathering post. Pic is just after My Motel. I found a tweaked shorty leaning post and sleeved it to widen it and had the boys at Schmidt`s weld in some 1/2" x 3 " spanners on top. I had some starboard lying around, so I put that on top and cut down my pedestal seats. I slide forward and the controls fall to hand. I slide back, spin around and rest my feet on the transom while fishing. Had to cut out the in deck live well to plumb it, but that allows access to all thru hulls, clam shell pick up, wiring, pump , bilge pumps, and valve. Works great and really helped balance my C.G. too. Rabud ping pong ball scuppers and no more wet feet. I mocked it up many times to get the hoses right while standing. Flows great and holds a ton of bait. You may need a smaller well on an 18 to allow walking room around back.
GFS

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Thanks Gofast. I can fit a livewell 28 x 16 x 16 under there and not protrude past the rod holders on the leaning post.
Did you run in to any obstructions in front of the floor well while plumbing it?

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

1step,

I have an 18 footer that I am rebuilding. New deck, motor well and transom. I removed and and will not replace the live well aft of the center console because I think it adds too much weight to stern. The gunnels are too low on boat to raise the deck.

Does your boat self bail at rest with and without anyone standing aft of console?

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Tash, I would say barely. I only have a 115 2 stroke on it so I suspect that helps weightwise. Moving the livewell under the leaning post should help with the weight distribution as well.
The main reason for it is to eliminate those wet feet days from the in floor.
My biggest concern is a bulkhead in the way trying to run the plumbing to it.
Do you have the floor out of yours yet? If so, was there a bulkhead in front of the floor well?

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

What year is yours? Mine is an `89 and had no bulkheads. Ran a 1 1/2" drain out the original transom drain and a 1" clamshell pickup on the middle of the 2nd step 3` forward of the transom. I wanted as little profile as posible to avoid problems if i ever hit something submerged.
GFS

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Gofast, mine's an '89 also. I already have the drain thru hull and high speed pickup. I was concerned about getting the existing hoses forward to the new location.
Thanks for the heads up.

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

Just one thought I had on plumbing and access, maybe put a waterproof hatch on the forward wall of the old baitwell so you could reach the plumbing under the floor.

Re: 18' livewell conversion
 

That's what I was thinking too Dixon (great minds ;)).
I'll post pictures when I do it.