Small Livewell advice...

[Bigtimber]

I've got a small livewell in a little one man boat. It just has a standard type drain hole in the bottom.....just a 5/8 hole in the fiberglass floor in the livewell is all. It simply fills up to waterlevel and drains back out when you trailer the boat.

I'd like to add a pump to draw in fresh water. If I was to simply put two thru hull fittings in the bottom of live well floor....and hook a pump to one...pumping/pulling water into well with that hole......would it simply drain as fast as pumped in out the other hole... keeping it level with the water outside boat? Am I thinking right or is there a better way of handling this?
Its kind of an "island" type well...it you get me meaning...mounted right on the middle of the floor. Single/thin walled type deal.

Any suggestions or ideas on how to handle this best? Thanks for replies.

 

[The Longhunter]

..would it simply drain as fast as pumped in out the other hole... keeping it level with the water outside boat?

No

Am I thinking right or is there a better way of handling this?

yes, you are not thinking right, and yes, there is a better way.

If you want fresh water in the well you are better off pumping the water OUT, through a thru hull above the water line.

If you don't pump the water out, the livewell will fill up with water and flood the boat, pump or no pump.

If you rely on natural flow (through a thru hull) or a pump to fill the livewell, you need a valve on the input line so you can balance out the input to the pump output. This can be a common ball valve, or something more exotic. (The valve on the through hull is technically a "seacock".) Otherwise, if the inlet thru hull is below the waterline, you have a big uncontrollable leak if the outlet from the incoming line is below the water line. If the outlet for the incoming line is above the water line, then the well is not going to fill.

 

[tree cutter 08]

Another thing to remember is that whatever the surface temp is, that's what water temp you will have in your tank. With herring it's fine until the water starts to warm. I would try to have a filter and pump so it can be self contained.

 

[The Longhunter]

Another thing to remember is that whatever the surface temp is, that's what water temp you will have in your tank. With herring it's fine until the water starts to warm. I would try to have a filter and pump so it can be self contained.

Yep, my opinion is that in a small boat you are better off having good water in a closed system, and maintaining that. About half the year, the surface water is going to be nasty/hot.

Seems to me that I've only seen livewells like OP describes on big boats where they can move hundreds of gallons an hour, and there are no water quality issues.

 

[Bigtimber]

Thanks for the advice thus far. Ya this is a very small livewell..in a very small boat..keeping panfish alive for the frying pan is what we are talking about.

Talking about a boat similar to this one in link below..

http://www.creekboats.com/greentop_1man.htm

http://www.creekboats.com/popup_windows/m1_steering.htm


Just thought it might be better with fresh water circulating all or part time. Just wanting to make good use of this livewell....its a pain trying to keep them alive in there and then ending up shoving them all in the drink cooler anyhow lol. Be nice if I could keep a few fish alive in there better part of a day .....and that hasn't been working out at all. Maybe just better with a closed system deal and tossing a ice bottle in there now and again...

Any other advice?

 

[The Longhunter]

T Ya this is a very small livewell..in a very small boat..keeping panfish alive for the frying pan is what we are talking about.

...its a pain trying to keep them alive in there and then ending up shoving them all in the drink cooler anyhow lol. Be nice if I could keep a few fish alive in there better part of a day .....and that hasn't been working out at all. Maybe just better with a closed system deal and tossing a ice bottle in there now and again...

Any other advice?

If that's what you want it for, you actually are better served by icing them down as soon as you can.

Think about it, the fish is highly stressed, probably wounded, you're trying to keep him alive in 80 deg. water -- the quality of the meat is going down.. Keep on icing them down. Besides, anyone that won't drink a Coca-cola with a little fish slime on it, well, he's just not a real fisherman. No No:

Seriously, carry two coolers with ice, and throw those fish right on the ice. Really it's better to carry a plastic bag, and put them in that, so they don't get waterlogged in the ice water.