Manual Drain/Over Flow or Electric pump (bilge)

[Wildman]

I am in the planning stages in building my console with 15 gallon live well under the front passenger seat. The live well will be Epoxy resin fiberglassed. I am building the inside floor with the bottom slopped the back wall. I have two thoughts and need opinions.

1: Put in a bilge pump with a cover for protection and at 2" put in a auto switch to turn the pump on for over flow. In other words, when the water level (if the intake is left on) gets to a level that is too close to the top the float turns on the bilge and the bilge pumps water out the over flow. When/If I hear water pumping out I know I left the intake on. The bilge will have an auto/on switch so I can manually turn it on to bilge/empty the live well.

or

2: Plumb in a manual drain in the bottom of the live well that goes to my bilge area for drainage when I empty the live well and an over flow piped that is plumed into the drain line; if I have an over flow then it goes into my bilge area.

Here is my issue. I am picking up my sole/floor 1.5". The sole will be fiberglassed so I don't think that water getting to the bottom of it will harm anything, but the purpose is not to have water in the bottom of my boat if I can help it. I don't know that there will be enough fall to keep all the water at the bilge area and my bilge pump keeps at least the ribs + full of water. In other words, if I drain/over flow manually to bilge, I will constantly have some water in the bottom of my boat. I can't over flow to a wall because the center console does not allow for a drain above water level.

If I use a float and bilge it is more "stuff that can break" but I can put in a manual plug in case I have to empty the tank.

So, what is your opinion? Manual drain/over flow or float and bilge over flow?

 

[Macgyver]

drain out the bottom with a standpipe for overflow. I wouldn't overflow into my boat if it was me

 

[TrackerTom]

drain out the bottom with a standpipe for overflow. I wouldn't overflow into my boat if it was me

x2.

 

[Wildman]

It is a center console w/ front seat live well. In order to do an over flow I thought I would have to come out the top of the live well and then down under the sole and then up again and be over the water line for the drain. The water will not gravity flow this way or am I missing something?

 

[Quackrstackr]

The water will seek it's own level. It will drain down to the level on the side of the boat, regardless of whether your drain is above or below the waterline.

My drain hole is in the side of my boat, below the waterline so the livewell drains completely with the standpipe overflow removed, even with the boat in the water.