live well

JeanF · #1 06-19-2009, 02:20 PM

I bought a V20 1983 and the live well is not equip whit a pump (? ) or circulator for the water.
The tubing is already there. But noting else is installed
In fact i really do not know how to make it fonctionnal!

Someone have one whit a sketch to explain me how does it work ?
Thaht way i will be able to make the modifications
Thank ,

Jean

willy · #2 06-20-2009, 10:10 AM

Jean a couple of questions, do you have the in floor live well that is round inside under a square hatch cover?
Is it equiped now with a water inlet pipe and an overflow hole that a short piece of pipe with a strainer fits in?
Do you have a thru hull with bronze strainer on the bottom of the boat about two to three feet forward of the transom?
And does that thru hull go into the bildge area as a bronze pipe with a valve on it? Is there a pump attached to the valve area?
Answer these questions and we can give you some advise, some boats came fully set up if ordered that way, some came with the thru hull and valve attached but nothing else. some were plumbed for full set up but no pump installed. Some were plumbed to run a wash down and live well and some were plumbed to run just a wash down.
Just so you know, as a live well they were a pain in the arse as most would leak water out onto the floor when getting under way.
Let us know

JeanF · #3 06-20-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willy

Jean a couple of questions,

all rigth, let's go ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by willy

do you have the in floor live well that is round inside under a square hatch cover?

Yes it is,

Quote:

Originally Posted by willy

Is it equiped now with a water inlet pipe and an overflow hole that a short piece of pipe with a strainer fits in?

Do you mean 2 holes in the live well ? Their is only 1 at the bottom . It is aboput 3/4 '' and a flexible pipe goes outside of the boat near the transom

Quote:

Originally Posted by willy

Do you have a thru hull with bronze strainer on the bottom of the boat about two to three feet forward of the transom?

I think so , see , the boat is not at home right now. It is at the pro shop to do some work. So my answer is goes whit my memory...
It is like this one http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/album45/v_20_10

Maybe it is not clear for a helping answer.
soon as the boat will be at home i will take some picture to illustrate what i'm trying to explain.

I'll be back whit this...

Thank you Willy. it is appreciate.

willy · #4 06-20-2009, 03:46 PM

jean if there is only one hole at the bottom that is just a drain I believe. The one V I have seen that had a functioning live well there had the second small pipe inlet on the side that puts the water in via the pump and a second hole on the bottom that a small pvc pipe with a strainer press fitted into to drain the tank. You would pull ot that pipe at the end of the day to completly drain the bottom of the tank.
Do you remember lookinging into the bildge, maybe 6-8 inches off center a pipe that came up thru the bottom with a valve on it. I would be bronze with a lever type valve on it.
If you don't have those and want to rig up a live well you will have to either install a thru hull or arrange something else.
Or do what I do on mine

I bought a separate tank, some have made their own, I shopped and got a good one pretty cheap. To be honest it is much larger, stays dry on deck and I take it out when I don't need it.
I do not even have it plumbed to anything. I just use the bucket I have on board all the time and dump in fresh water every once in awhile, depending on how hot etc. It has an overflow outlet on top which I wanted and I just took a section of pool hose and c clamped it on and hang it over the splashwell guard.
Keeps whatever size fish I got alive and kicking all day. It is designed to be be plumbed in but I did not want it.
I have no thru hulls on my boat below the water line and I like that a lot.
That small bucket is also my wash down hose. Works great.
I like simple

tanker1025 · #5 07-05-2009, 08:14 PM

i have the same issue what i am doing is getting a 12v pump from harbor frieght $35.00 to bring water in the i have a bilge pump in the well that i am going to set up so that i can drain or recircalate with just put a 3 way valve inline

reelapeelin · #6 07-08-2009, 01:57 PM

Jean, I agree w/Willy...honestly that round live-well in the floor is not a good, efficient design...as I recall the sides are beveled on an angle that seems to help water escape out from under the lid. Suggest you get a separate tank like Willy's and use that in-floor well for wet-storage of some kind...
If you do get a separate tank an incoming supply hose can be fitted w/a pump on the end and dropped into the water (boat at rest or idle-speed) to freshen the tank water from time to time...Willy's bucket method works good too so it's just a matter of preference...good luck and let us know what you do...

Blue_Runner · #7 07-08-2009, 02:27 PM

Nothing wrong with a manual livewell pump and raw water washdown aka bucket.

I used them for years! Average life expectency of those pumps are 80 + years!

willy · #8 07-08-2009, 04:57 PM

am shooting for ninety nine

Blue_Runner · #9 07-09-2009, 08:39 AM

I understand they start to lose some PSI around 75...

Blue_Runner · #10 07-09-2009, 08:40 AM

Hey, on a similar note I used an "armstrong" starter with my 70 johnnyrude for a couple years. It never failed me.