Live well drain

[PeterM]

Here is a question with winter coming up. My live well can only drain via a pump. There is no way to drain it into the bilge. It fills up when it rains. Should I cut in a drain hole with a screw stopper so that any rain water goes into the bilge and then out stern plug? I am concerned the live well might fill and freeze over the winter, even with a boat cover....what do you think? Or do I just leave some antifreeze and a sponge in the well?

[uncleboo]

I'd do the plug thing.

[Old'sCool]

Same here.

[FLexpat]

I don't know how those are plumbed so I will ask the dumb question: is there any way to pull the pump hose at the well fitting or put a Y valve in the hose?
If not, drilling a drain sounds like an option...

[caper]

FWIW my 1975 20SF had a factory drain in the stbd aft corner that drained in to the bilge.

[uncleboo]

So did my 18.

[bumpdraft]

Not a big fan of draining into the bilge. I sometimes have small baits in the well that I would not like in the bilge. A friend of mine that has a Mako, has fishboxes that drain that way as well. The blood and guts water has to be pumped out and I don't think it ever pumps the residue left over.