Live well question

[CC Boat]

I have a new to me 1987 Pro Line 17 Sport. I noticed the front live well drains into the bilge of the boat. I looked into the bilge and there is a channel which runs down the center line which appears to be there to channel water to the drain hole. Is this normal or do I have missing plumbing?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Live well question

If that's the way it was designed it is a stupid design because unless the boat is on a trailer there is no way for the water to get out except via bilge pump. If someone had installed an aerator timer for example and the overflow for the livewell as via the standpipe it would be possible to sink the boat if there was no bilge pump. I think you better check for a missing livewell drain line. Is the overflow at the top of the tank and a hose dumps excess water out the side, or is there a pipe that sticks into the livewell drain hole.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Live well question

it's also a bad design b/c the water that gets in the bilge along with the tiny fishes will get all stanky.
I think your hull is similar to my 17' Key West, and a side drain won't work due to low freeboard. My livewell has a drain pipe from the livewell to a through hull in the transomm, so it doesn't require the use of the bilge pump. You might want to rig something similar.

 

[DJ]

Re: Live well question

Agreed. Any livewell should drain/pump overboard.

Draining it into the bige is a recipe for all kinds of issues.

 

[CC Boat]

Re: Live well question

I thought as much the design did not seem right to me. There are no pumps or anything so I guess the plumbing was gutted. Any idea how to get on the other side of the live well so I can hook up a drain line?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Live well question

we'll need pictures of what you already have.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Live well question

Do you have any drain holes in the transom at all that look like they would be your drain? Most likely there is and you just have a hose disconnected or something. Did the livewell originally come with the boat?

 

[CC Boat]

Re: Live well question

Do you have any drain holes in the transom at all that look like they would be your drain? Most likely there is and you just have a hose disconnected or something. Did the livewell originally come with the boat?

Yes the live well is stock and there is only the bilge drain hole in the back I am thinking there is a hose off or something it just cannot be right to drain a live well into the bilge. Either way I will not let it drain there I will fix it or not use it...

 

[MyViewGS]

Re: Live well question

There are no pumps or anything so I guess the plumbing was gutted.

Are you sure it's a "live well" and not a cooler? Not trying to ask a silly question but with everything said, it sounds more like a cooler to me.

MyViewGS

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Live well question

cc you said it was an '87. not many boats had 2 live wells when yours was built. how many holes are in the"livewell". It does sound like it was a cooler or storage compartment. and If someone removed plumbing, it should be that hard to get to to replace it. some pictures would really help.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Live well question

If that is the case where it was meant to be just a cooler then you could always convert it to a livewell if you wanted to. Does it have a livewell pump that pumps and aerates water into it to fill it? If not then it was probably meant to be a cooler I like others meantioned.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Live well question

And if it's a cooler (or other locker with a drain), I would rather have ice water in the bilge than the risk of a through-hull. If you aren't using it for fish, let it be.

Photos would help.

 

[jshane39]

Re: Live well question

I have seen this problem too. I have a 98 AquaSport and was initially stumped by the same issue. I had a open hole in the back/bottom of my (livewell) and would watch the water drain into the bilge of the boat. Just recently I noticed a small pump with a hose laying in the bottom of the boat. I noticed that it really had no purpose.......until I put together the following. It appears that the pump was once attached (by glue) to the fish box. During wear and tear, the glue broke and the pump has been just laying in the bottom of the bilge. When operating correctly, the pump should evacuate all the water in the fish well.
Of course I still have not figured a way to get mine attached back to the boat.