23 Restoration

[JohnB]

I moved my livewell to inside the transom, and it gravity drains out the side so it won't fill up. I converted my infloor livewell to a fishbox, put a lip around it, a gasket, and a latch that holds it tight so if water runs across the deck, it won't go in there. It also has a maceator pump that will pump it out over the side. I am toying with the idea of putting a float switch in there on the pump, in case it ever filled with water, it would kick on the pump and drain it.

I attribute some of the SinkCraft bad rap to be on boats that have larger engines than it was designed for, sitting it lower. Also, a wet transom will hold the back down too. All of the livewells I have seen are plumbed out the back, but if the floor of the boat is below the water level, it doesn't take but one bad storm, or a malfunction pump switch to sink one. Also, many of the livewells I have seen are not water tight where they seal into the bottom of the deck, and if water comes up to the top, it runs into the bilge.

On almost all SeaCrafts, the RayBud style scullper covers are a must. They traded off gunnel height on the floor for deck height near the waterline, especially in the back of these boats. Once you add a heavier motor, a top, wet coring in a few places, the deck height above waterline margin disappears fast.

IMHO, no boat should have the floor/deck below the waterline at rest, it's just a bad idea.