sealing a livewell drain plug

[dirtking]

We have two live wells and another compartment in our boat with drain plugs. Currently we are pulling the live well plug and the boat plug at the landing but have left the other plugs in place. The front live well is pretty much full of dry storage stuff and the other rear compartment the plug is under the beer cooler.

I am guessing we are in violation of the new drain plug laws even though we use these compartments as dry storage.

What is the best way to seal these so we are not in violation with the drain plug law? I'd like to seal them permanently but not so permanently that they could be removed if we decided to use them for their intended purpose.

Right now I am thinking we could take a sink stopper pad and silicone it over the drain hole? What do you think?

[RK]

Hiya -

If the drain fittings are standard size (3/4", 1" or 1-1/8") you can find tension fit plugs to fit, and you can just silicone them into place. If you can reach it (no sure thing if it's under the floor or something) you can also disconnect and seal off the plumbing with a barbed/female thread coupling and a plug you'd also silicone in. I think if you make it obvious you aren't putting water in the and have disabled the system, you'll be ok.

RK

[dirtking]

RK - there is cuurently not any running water hooked up to these compartments - I'm just worried be cause they have a drain plug. Maybe the front compartment is rigged and the pump dosent work? Just got the boat this winter - lund 2001 1800 fisherman.

So you think just silicone around the plug? That would prove that it is not meant to come out....

[going4it]

If no water is coming into the livewells what law are you breaking? As long as they are empty/drained you are not breaking any laws.

[dirtking]

The way I read the law - drain plugs must be pulled. I have drain plugs... Even though I do not have any water coming into these compartments there are still drain plugs - I am guessing it might be tough to try and convince a game warden I am not breaking any laws when there are drain plugs in place?

From the DNR web site.

■drain plugs, bailers, valves, or other devices used to control the draining of water from ballast tanks, bilges, and live wells must be removed or opened while transporting watercraft and water-related equipment (marine sanitary systems and portable bait containers used by aquatic farms are exempt from this requirement).

[BoxMN]

Question - is it a "livewell" if the aerator motor has been removed/wires cut? Or is it dry storage? My guess is that anybody with half a brain could tell simply by looking at what is "stored" in there, but you might get somebody what wants to "teach a lesson". Good luck. One of our livewells is now dry storage (hasn't had water in it for years, like double digit years...), and easily can tell that. We don't pull the plug on that one.

[harvey lee]

RK - there is cuurently not any running water hooked up to these compartments - I'm just worried be cause they have a drain plug. Maybe the front compartment is rigged and the pump dosent work? Just got the boat this winter - lund 2001 1800 fisherman.

So you think just silicone around the plug? That would prove that it is not meant to come out....

I would agree that this should be fine to show you do not use this livewell for nothing other than a storage unit.

Now with that said, could you run into a CO that may wrtite you a ticket, I would doubt it but I would never say never say never,

I would do it and if they ticketed me, I would go to court with photo's and show the judge.

May be worth a call to the DNR simply for piece of mind. This is onew of those dumb areas of this AIS law. Way too much grey area.

[clKiekhafer]

This is a very thought provoking subject. I have the Lund 1700 Fisherman with three compartments with drain plugs. The front one is the livewell and is used as such. Another one is the second livewell in the rear starboard side and has never been used for a livewell, but is used for storage such as ropes, drift socks rod holders and such. The overflow on the side has been plugged with a cork and siliconed in to seal it. I was getting tired of everything getting wet with the water coming in the overflow. The drain plug is not in. The water fill nozzle has been completely turned off so all water is directed to the front when the pump is on. The third compartment is basically a metal storage box with a drain plug to let water out if some were to get in. I've turned that into a cooler by lining it with Styrofoam. The plug is always removed in case water does get in and it won't fill-up to bad on those raining days except with it is being used as a cooler then the plug is left in. I've sent a note to the MN DNR asking for clarification. When I get a response I will post it.

[PropsterII]

Here is a post I made in the "Tell us your AIS Inspection stories", about the same subject.

"I can tell you what DNR enforcement told me for my setup that is similar to yours. I have the two livewells plugged everywhere, they are used only as dry storage. Two rubber stoppers inside each, one on the outside (side - overflow) and one for each on the transom on either side of the bilge drain. I called and told him how i was set up and that i really didn't want to have to pull the two transom plugs and drive down the road going through puddles or rain and take a chance on water getting in those lines (pretty weak I know but I was trying to build a case). He said that any CO he knows would not ticket me for leaving those in, at least the first time, as long as i showed him they were indeed dry storage. He then said however that if any CO spotted them in going down the road they would likely pull me over, and that to prevent that and to prevent them from having to let me off the hook potentially multiple times, that I should consider pulling them. Then he gave me the official answer and that was yes, they need to be pulled. Not that difficult so I do it."

[clKiekhafer]

Here is the response I got from Phil in St. Paul about the drain plugs.

"If the compartment that you turned into storage has clothes or other items in it at all times you would not have to pull the plug on that compartment. The other one that you have turned into a cooler could have water in it so it would need to be drained. If you have any further questions please let me know. Phil"

I always pull the one drain in the back (bilge), the one with dry storage is okay to have in as long as there is drain items in and the cooler side will have the plug out unless I need it fro a cooler then it will get pulled when I leave the water.

[PropsterII]

Very interesting that we got two different answers from Enforcement in St Paul. Just goes to show the old cliche', often the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, or telling people! Seems to me the DNR is still feeling their way around this whole program if many of these issues are not even agreed upon internally.