Livewell in the Transom or on Leaning Post
 

Rebuilding a 1977 SeaCraft Center Console. Bracketed motor. Most likely installing a 225 ETEC. Need to start planning the layout of the cockpit. I like the idea of building an intergrated livewell into the transom but my gut feeling tells me that I should move the weight forward a bit and install a leaning post/livewell.

Thoughts?

I thought that with my 23' also. It's a big footprint on the deck so if that's not a problem go for it. I went with transom.

I built a xmall one in my transome like my cooler under the leaning post

I just got my 77 redone with a filled in transom, bracket, etc... I bought a leaning post with 30 gallon well from Birdsall Marine and it's working out nicely, no bending over all day. Also have 3 levels of drains so I don't have to run with all the water in there all the time. It's plumbed to go out the back underneath the bracket. With the running pickup it's great I don't have to run my pump all the time, and it the drains keep up as long as I don't open the valve all the way. I also have a circulator pump that works good too. The only thing I may do is get the well sealed at the lid, as when the top level drain is on it seems to leak at the top a bit. However the water just goes straight off the back and not around the seating at all, so not too big of a deal.

Check out my pics on the photos page, 77 seacraft restored.

I chose a completely different route. I kept the notched transom and added a livewell and bait station in the existing motorwell.....just food for thought.

Goodchance if i was you I would go with leaning post with a 35+ gallon round livewell, if u fish with pogies you want a round livewell no mater where itis located, if you are inerested in a leaning post with 45gal livewell I build them at a good price.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...s/DSC00320.jpg
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That looks a lot like the McKee LP/LW I considered. Very nice!!

I made a spread sheet of weights when when rebuilding my 23, it was very helpful. Basically take the centers of all you large components and their distance from a single point (outside transom face is a good place) then you can compare changes from the stock set up.

The stock live well (below decks) is already in about the same location as a in transom live well (its center maybe 18" forward of your proposed transom well). So you do not need a huge offsetting moment to compensate for moving the livewell back a little. BUT you still have to compensate for that motor and there are only a couple other things you can move (fuel,console, people, batteries)

Are there any other weights you can move forward to compensate? I moved my console forward by at least 6". When you move a console forward, you also move a lot of people weight too. I also moved my tanks forward.

I went with a large livewell/leaning post and I am very glad I did, her trim at rest is very flat and on plane I do not need trim tabs to keep the bow down. If you were running with a lot more HP, I would say keeping the CG back is not going to hurt you, but with a single 225 (I have a F225) I would get as much weight forward as possible. The faster you go the more aft you can have your CG

77Sceptre's is very nice but in that Sceptre you also have "The Dance Floor" the CC's don't have kind of room but very nice.

CBBOATWORKS - that looks really nice - very compact and doesn't take up a lot of space - that would be perfect for SF 20 guys scaled down a tad

Thanks..Sorry guys I am not trying to highjack the thread, I am working on a scaled down verson as we speak, it will look just like what u see above, 35"W x 27"L x 26"Tall