1998 23 SeaCraft Deck Livewell.

[jkbuilding]

Just purchased a 1998 23 Seacraft. The previous owner had sealed up the deck livewell. When I opened up the lid, there are two through hull fittings with rubber plugs. It seems as though there was something else originally attached to those through hull fiitings. Anyone know what they were for...Seems silly and extremely dangerous. One of the soft rubber plugs was actually seaping

John

[eggsuckindog]

Just a guess but an inflow and drain

[thedog]

I have the same year seacraft 23, the two fittings in the livewell , one is for a fill, port side near the top. one is on the bottom center in the aft and is for the livewell drain,my lower drain is pump driven to empty the livewell when not in use, there is one more on the top starboard side which is the drain when the livewell is in use and drains out of the transom.
if all the previous owner did was plug these holes with rubber plugs, be aware that the livewell drain (bottom center) runs to discharge on the starboard side near the stern, this does dip below water in normal usage in my boat, this causes the hose to fill with water

[jkbuilding]

Thanks, I have all of those fittings that you were refering too as well. I am familiar with how they work. There are two additional through hull(through the bottom of the boat)1 1/2 inch fittings that sit in the angled bottom on both port and starboard sides. No one seems to know what these things were used for. If I could figure out how to send a picture I would

By the way, does your boat deck sit level in the water. I have a Johnson 225 outboard. Every time I try to clean the boat the water just sits on the deck. I have resorted to filling my 94 quart cooler with water and leaving it against the transom. Other than a heavier engine or twins, any suggestions?

[bigtahuna]

I also have a '98 and there are no through hull fittings in the livewell. Someone at some time might have reconfigured the livewell. I have one thru hull fitting with a seacock in the bilge area that serves two pumps, one for transom livewell and raw water washdown and one to fill the deck livewell. As far as draining the deck, I have no problem with that. I have a 225 Opti on mine. Check your bow bilge area and make sure the drain pipe is not clogged and holding water, just a thought.
Cheers
Dave

[jkbuilding]

Dave,

I'm not sure that my previous reply went through. The bow bilge access was the first thing I checked. It's dry. Not sure what configuration would have been installed in those through hull fittings. There are no strainers under the hull. It's just weird.

[bigtahuna]

Their is no telling what they were thinking. If they are close to the keel he may have been trying to keep water from collecting in it while it was out of the water, or maybe he thought it would work as a flow through to the overflow when in the water. Who knows. That is the one thing I hate about that baitwell, any water that is washed down the deck will sit in that recess and make a mess. The raised lip under the hatch isn't tall enough to keep the well from filling up with rain water and it is impossible to keep the gutter area clean and free of green slime, you'll see why he sealed it up. I've had mine fill to overflowing onto the deck from hard rain in just over a weeks time. I've been trying to come up with a drain system for around that recess. I'm debating wether to just drill a hole in each rear corner and let it drain into the bilge, I keep my boat on the trailer with the plug out so the water would just drain through. I would remove the thruhulls and repair the holes on yours if I were you.

[jkbuilding]

That's exactly why the previous owner sealed in the livewell. There are no connections to any of the holes now. I intend on connecting the system back together. On the console control panel there is a deck livewell feed switch and a deck livewell drain switch. Is that how your is set up. I figured there are two separate pumps for that. I can only find 3 in the bilge area. one is for the fresh water, one is for the transom livewell/salt water wash down and one I assume is just to fill the deck livewell. Conversely, there may just be one pump to fill both livewells and saltwater washdown and just one pump for the deck drain??? Shouldn't the drain be a macerator?

My temporary solution to the through hull fittings was to install 1.5 inch plumbing test plugs. They are all plastic except the expanding rubber. Very similar to a giant bilge plug. There has been no leaks since I installed last Saturday. I will see how they work for the season. My intension is to glass over the fittings so I have no future problems.

[bigtahuna]

My boat has the same switches on the dash. I don't have a freshwater washdown. It has two washdown type pumps installed on the stringer in the bilge, one fills the transom livewell and operates the raw water washdown. The other fills the in deck livewell. The transom livewell is a gravity drain and the in deck livewell has a 500gph bilge type pump installed on the bottom of the well. It has a strainer over the drain in the livewell. I think only fishboxes are macerated usually. I just had to replace the washdown pump in the bilge, holy crap what a pain.

[jkbuilding]

I too have been working in that hell hole. Angle drill and bloody knuckles. How many times did you get your head stuck? I'm assuming the macerator is installed outside your livewell and in the bilge? The other P.I.T.A area is the port side rear access area under the storage box. That's where my raw water intake and seacock is. I managed to get my camera in there and it appears as if there is a strainer just after the seacock. How the heck are you supposed to get to that? I'm half tempted to cut out the storage box so I have full access to that area.

By the way... where are you located?

John