LIVEWELL on a 23' CC

[James Tackle]

Hi there guys! I have a question that I am sure many here have pondered. I would like to plumb the rear in-deck livewell. I have it recirculating now, but I want to change it to bring in fresh water and drain out. Has anyone accomplished this feat? I have no problem with getting the water to pump in... I am baffled how to get the water out, shy of pumping it out. It appears the top live well is below the water line. Please help!

[Ed]

Hey Jim-

Glad to see that you posted this question. I am sure on of the 23 guru's will have an answer for you shortly.

I'll be on the look out for those rods and will let you know how I like them after I get a chance to use them.

Thanks again!

-Ed-

[FELLOW-SHIP]

It looks like your CC is a 1987 and the live well is located in front of the transom approx 2 feet. If that is correct you can drill a hole in the bottom of your boat close to the transom and set up a scoop plum it on the inside with (brass) cut off valve and a 500 gal live well pump attached then run the hose from the live well pump to approx 2/3 of the way up the live well and drill hole in live well and attach I think ½” is the diameter of a 500 gal pump so you will need a ½ “ fitting that seals on both sides. You will need to drill a large 1 ½” drain line from approx 4 to 6” below the top of the tank in the back of the well and run it out the transom by cutting a hole in the bottom of the transom as low as possible (close to the drain plug height. You should use the thickened hose with brass fittings and two sea clamps on either side, just incase one breaks the other is still there.
This sight might help you http://www.kodiakmarine.com/
FellowShip [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[James Tackle]

Hi there Ed! I know that gear should be there for you tomorrow... at the latest on Friday [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
You will love it... quality gear like that makes fishing a pleasure.

Thank you for your reply FellowShip... I greatly apprecaite it. Your exactly right with the setup I have for a livewell... about 2' in front of the transom, dead center. I can do that plumbing just like you said... no problem at all there. I'm worried that after it is done, the water will not drain out the overflow. The tip-top of the tank is right at about water level on the boat. Say I drill the outflow hole 4" below the top of the tank. That would put it 4" below the water line. Since water tends to seek it's own level... even with a down-sloping 1 1/2" hose leading out by the drain plug... won't the water be more tending to flow inward into the tank? I'm a little nervous to cut that 1 1/2 inch hole for the drain out the transom and find the water will actually back up into the tank rather than to flow out. I hope that made sense.
Do I have cause for concern or will it flow out? Any and all help is GREATLY apprecaited. I love this boat and the livewell is honestly my #1 concern to get fixed right. I can work on the cosmetics over the winter (planning to redo the whole boat) but right now I need that livewell up and running 100%.

[Ed]

Jim-

If you're concerned about water flowing in, instead of flowing out....you can always install a bronze check valve to the thru-hull on the inside of the transom. It only lets water flow out....not in.

This spring, I replaced all thru-hulls on my Mako....and in doing so....I installed bronze seacocks (ball checks) on the baitwell intake and drain lines (helpful if you ever split a line...just turn them off. I also installed a bronze checkvalve on the overflow line for the bait well. Originally, Mako just had the line mated to a plastic thru hull with an Attwood/Perko type scupper over it. But when I replaced plastic thru hull with a bronze one, I couldnt find a scupper big enough so installed a checkvalve instead. Works like a charm. This is how Mako is currently rigging there 31 center console.

-Ed-

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha James;
I have a older SeaCraft and originally had the live well mounted against the transom. I preferred your setup so when I re did my boat I made a live well and put it where yours is located now. My live well’s top is sealed to the bottom of the deck. I believe your well is to if not you should seal the top of the live well to the bottom of the deck. In that way the deck itself is above the water line and there shouldn’t be any back pressure that could cause over flow. You could also use a 1 ½ “ cut off valve just incase, or a flap type back flush checker like on some scuppers. I will say on my boat I don’t have any problem with water coming up onto the deck from either the scoop putting too much water into the tank or from the 1 ½” discharge line back flowing water into the tank and then into the bilge or above the tank and onto the deck. There are a number of boat manufacturers that put their live wells under the deck and don’t have any problems either even the new SeaCrafts set up boats this way today. You could also put a inverted U shape to the hose and connect it to the bottom of the deck to add additional height before is sloops down to the lower part of the transom to also compensate for that water line concern.
FellowShip [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]