live well

[JoeT]

I have a nice large 1985 16' Crestliner 4 seat fishing boat that I would like to put a live well in any ideals ?

[Fisher Dave]

It can be done. It is a bit of work. By adding a livewell you will be altering the layout of your boat in one way or another, unless you are going to be using a portable live well. It is possible to convert a bench into a livewell, or remove a bench and replace it with a livewell.. there are lots of options.. they all take some work. To alter a bench is the least invasive way to add a live well to the boat, the layout stays the same.. I dont like bench boats so I alter the entire boat.

I usually alter the entire boat because I hate *jumping hurdles*.. I pull the center large bench and run a livewell down the left(starboard?)side of the boat. If the boat is wide enough, I will put a rod locker, or storage on the right(port?) side of the boat... Of coarse you cant leave out the flat floor, front casting deck, and rear enclosement to bury the gas and batteries. Under deck storage, carpeting, seats.. etc.. it takes some money and time.. but its worth it in the end if you spend a lot of time in the boat, and you dont want to spend a fortune on a new boat.

To alter a bench, it easiest to find a livewell, or a marine dry storage container that will fit within your existing bench... From there you will have to mark the exact cutout size on the top of your bench.. drill a hole and cut it out with a jigsaw.. remove the floatation within the bench. From there sit the livewell in the opening, and figure out some type of support for the underside of the livewell.. dont forget that you need to add drainage on the bottom when figuring out the support issue. I use 3/4" fittings on the livewell, and on the outside hull of the boat for drainage with a hose so none of the drainage goes into the boat. A pleg can be used to hold water in the well. You will have to fit the livewell with an overflow valve if you are going to have a livewell pump to fill it.. if you forget the swicth on.. you can add a lot of water to the boat in a hurry if it overflows. The overflows are usually 1 1/2 in diameter.. you put one in the livewell at whatever level you would feel proper water level, and the other on the hull of the boat slightly lower than the overflow valve on the livewell. The pump... mounts on the transom and run the hose to connect to a spray type fitting up high somewhere on the livewell. If you want to keep fish alive out of the water for any period of time, you will want to add a recirculating pump also.. this is another livewell pump that mounts on the livewell, and has another spray fitting to recirulate the water in the livewell when the boat is not in the water.. great for keeping minnows alive, or to keep fish alive for an extended drive to have fresh fish to clean when you get home.. or if its late you can clean them the following morning.. still fresh and lively.

Be sure when you find the livewell.. you find a lid, or make a lid that can lock down, and it should be water tight.. or close to. If you have a livewell in a bench, you are going to be real wet when you pound on some waves if the lid doesnt lock.

The wiring and switches you can figure out on your own.

[Valv]

I still have $ 5.00 livewells as per an ad I had few months ago.....

[blacksheep]

val you got any bait wells?

[Valv]

Yep, same price.