NEW here Got a few livewell rigging ???

[Christopher Quast]

? #1 I'm putting together a older deep V 18' Crestliner and I was trying to decide which way the boat would handle the best with just me in it my thoughts were to keep the livewell as far to the front as possible so that when I went myself I could fill that full and help balance things a little better since I will have a Evinrude Big Twin 40hp motor hanging on the back but I will have a bow mount minnkota on it also.

? #2 Having a hard time deciding which type of hose to use for my livewell and pumps I've heard a good quality garden hose is the best way any ideas would be great. and ? #3 was ideas needed for making a quality livewell as far what to use for the shell since they are so darn expensive to buy one thought I had was to use a rubbermaid contain and put a seal under the hatch cover so it wouldnt leak.

so I was wondering from experience or just know how the best way to do these things Thanks and Hello everyone

[PerchJerker]

I assume this is a tiller boat with a 40? If so, you definately do not want the livewell in the back, or you'll really have trouble planing out. Having the livewell up front will help planing and give you a smoother ride.

When you say "as far forward as possible", I assume you don't mean in the front 1/4 to even front 1/3 of the boat?

I don't know on the hose ---- check cabelas or bass pro or gander, or a well-stocked boat dealer's parts department, or a store like Boat US. Anyone that sells livewell and bilge pumps should have the right hose to use for the plumbing.

I don't know that a rubbermaid container is going to be rigid enough to withstand water sloshing around in it. Coolers work well, they're rigid and they're insulated.

A good idea is to check with Valv from this site, he probably has all the stuff you need, plus some good ideas and info.

[Surface Tension]

I'd put the livewell on the opposite side of the boat your sitting on and at least midway toward the bow. Use vinyl hose for the livewell. You'll need a thru-hull fitting to control the water line in the livewell. This will go out the side of the boat ABOVE the water line. You should have the livewell to determine the height you'll have to mount it in order to get that fitting at the correct height. Your live well will have a nipple, the vinyl hose will connect to the thur-hull fitting.

Your intake will be at the transom below the water line next to your drain plug. That fitting will come with the livewell pump.

You'll run that to the livewell with vinyl hose. Keep that run straight, you don't want water getting trapped in there and freezing in the winter. Your livewell will have a fitting low or on the bottom for the intake/drain.

As said don't mess with a cooler. For one its not strong enough , secondly you'll have to make fitting for it. Its not worth it and your better off buying a livewell.

[Christopher Quast]

So you guys are saying dont put the livewell to the front Well sure am glad I asked How come other boats are set up that way??? Hmmmm now I'm confuseded. what is the reasoning for keeping it away from the front of the boat? Just to give you an idea of how my boat is setup it just has the basic plain jane bench seats as of now with the tiny one in the peak and there is a little bigger one 3-4ft back from that one and was origanally gonna put it between those 2 and my plans include flat decking it out and carpeting the works and at the widest point it is 6ftx 2ft deep "here is a pic" and also what is your opinions on cutting out center section of the center bench to make it a partial walkthrough

[Valv]

I would put it under 2nd bench from the front.

Also consider if your boat tips up a lot while undergoing, a full livewell will mean.... water dumped out as soon as you take off, don't let it fill too much.

I have only 1 livewell left that might work for you, you can send me an email, I am not far from Norwood.

[Jack Stasney]

I had a boat similar to the one you have now. I only had three benches but otherwose it was the same. I saw your battery and I started thinking... I know that after putting my battery in the center bench my boat was much easier to handle. Also the front end tipped up so I couldn't see anything, and the weight of the battery countered that nicely. You are going to add a livewell as well and I wouldn't put it too far forward. My boat plowed badly when any one sat in the front and I always had to ask them to move to the middle bench. Usually I'd get the best performance if they also faced me. I'd also try to keep it centered as the boat might tip to one side if full. Looks to me like in front of the second bench would work well. Your boat looks a little longer then mine and may handle a little differently. Anyways if you can hold off I'd just bring it with and fill it up and see where it centers the boat the best. Good Luck

[Surface Tension]

No one said not to put it in the fount. You don't want it in the stern especially with a boat that size. I suggested on the side figuring you were going to gut the boat. If your leaving the boat as is put it in one of the bench seats. Number two seat would work fine except your going to have to walk over a bench to get to it. Not a huge problem but very inconvenient if you put a minnows in it. Your seat is centered on the bench, is that your placement on the water? Mine would be kicked over to one side. The passenger seat would be kicked to the other side to even it out. When I'm solo I'd use the gas tank or gear to even the boat out.

Back to the passenger seating, with that off center place the livewell on that bench. You'll have easy access to it then.

That would be the bench second from the stern. That fits my style of fishing. I'd probably make a casting deck in the bow with storage and battery compartment. That should get enough weight transfered forward.

[harvey lee]

I put a floor in one 16" LUND just like yours with the seats acroos the middle of the boat. I purchased a livewell almost the width of the second seat from the front. I placed the livewell on the side of the seat towards the back of the boat and then built a casting deck ove the top of all of the front frm the livewell forward. You will need to do a faitr amount of bracing on the bottom of the casting deck and then attach it to the top of the seats. I also had a cut out from the second seat to the front small seat amd framed that in for a storage area with a small lid to open and close.

To balance the boat out weight wise, the back seat where the driver sits, I removed the top board and cut out an area for 2 batteries or you could use one good marine battery for all the accessories and the trolling motor. On one side I also hinged the seat board so I could charge the battery or get at any wiring under the seat.

Along the side, I also built a small box type enclosure for storing rods but make sure you have the lenght from one end to another for the longer rods. Id not, can can also drill some small diameter holes for the rod tips to extend further up towards the front.

Then on the side of the rod box, I placed a panel with switches to run the livewell, running lights and bilge pupm I placed in the back of the boat.

This was a huge undertaking but I was very happy with the end result.

THis boat balanced out pretty nice with keeping the batteries and the boat gas in the back of the boat.