live well, water fill ideas?

[Tdot_Lund]

hey guys,

have posted previous builds, but my newest boat(1988 springbok 14.5") has a live well and aerator pump, but no fill pump?

wondering how u guys fill your live wells with fresh water? if theirs a easy solution ?

not to sure about drilling in a fitting below water level and using a bilge pump.

right now im using a bail bucket but trying to make it more self filling, any ideas, suggestions?

thanks

 

[Timtactical]

The way it is commonly done is, an intake is installed in the rear of the boat. It is then plumbed with a shut off valve and transfer pump to the live well. Then you install an over flow drain which drains out another hole in the transom.

 

[earl60446]

This jpeg is about as simple as it gets, my factory setup (from 1989) uses this scheme. There are some drawbacks, as any underwater plumbing project brings to a boat. This link guides you to a interactive livewell building tool, it works and is pretty neat.
https://www.flow-rite.com/marine/livewell-builder

Tim

 

[Clint KY]

How about a bilge type pump attached to one end of a hose with the wires tie-wrapped to the hose, with the other end attached to a fitting on the live-well. Just throw the pump overboard when filling or adding water to the live-well.

This is my plan for a live-well that I can move between boats.

 

[Keystone]

I had an extra long wire, hung it over the side, turned it on with hose attached, and filled the cooler. Turned it off, removed hose, inserted it back in the cooler and hooked it back up. Was pretty simple really.

 

[DrNip]

Here's mine. In a perfect world I would have put a shut off valve but this isn't a perfect world. I tossed around the idea of throwing a pump overboard to fill it up but I don't have time for all that nonsense. Do it right and you'll be fine. Just check it every time you go out. No need to be scared off drilling below the water line.