Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

[Epitome]

1998 Trophy 2503 Center Console. I bought this boat earlier this year. While poking around and figuring out where everything goes and how everything works, I noticed that the 2 fish boxes in the deck both drain into the automatic bilge pump box (there is also a manually operated bilge pump outside the box). The fish boxes have stainless steel strainers in the drains so nothing big can go down, but it seems counterintuitive to me that any of the possible mess that is in the fish box drains through an automatic bilge pump. This is the configuration from the factory. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

I agree it's a bad configuration if you use the fish boxes for fish. The best is a new through-hull above the waterline next to the boxes (look at a Sea Hunt) although I have a 17' with the fish box in the bow and its drain hose runs the length of the bilge to a through-hull on the transom.
If you use them for dry storage or coolers I wouldn't worry about it; the fewer through-hull penetrations the better.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

my fishbox also drains into the bilge but it also came with a factory installed bilge pump in the fish box piped out to thru hull fitting above the water line....I can put a plug in the drain and drain it with the bilge pump if the water is too nasty.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

Yes, that's the factories handy work.

Everything on mine drains directly overboard

 

[grego]

Re: Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

I have 10 drain holes in my boat and the live wells drain into the hull to be pumped out by bilge pumps. DUH! We were in shallows and two of our group asked "damned,HOW many holes do you have in your boat?"

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fish Boxes Drain Into The Bilge?

Isn't that like having your toilet empty into your sink and then drain? or I guess like your toilet emptying into your basement, and then pumped out by a sump pump. Yuk.