Help with a livewell. Need suggestions

[BA17]

Alright guys. I am working hard out in Kansas and my 12 and 10 year olds found this carolina skiff, they went and talked to the owner and made a deal. Now the work begins. My 12 year old will be using the boat to play and catch live bait (bluefish) for tournaments. There is a swingback cooler seat behind the console with a metal frame. It would be nice to be able to have a livewell that can go into the frame as needed and the seat still used as needed. Here is the question: What would be the best way to accomplish this livewell set up. Not sure if a standard livewell will fit in the rack or if we will need to make one. How hard would it be to build a fiberglass livewell to fit in the rack? Thanks for all the help.

[Wildman]

It wouldnt be hard at all. Build a box out of some 1in foam insulation, that fits your bracket. Glue it together, radius the corners with a sander and lay glass all over it. Couple plastic fittings for inlet and outlet some hose and a livewell pump. Glass a piece of plywood for the top, with a 1/4in lexan hatch door(keeps the splashing down) and your off to find bait!

[BA17]

Thanks wildman. I think I'm gonna try to build it. How is the best way to attach the plywood top to the bottom?

[Wildman]

Glass the 'box' up then glass over both sides the wood separate. Then glass the top to the box, screw the lexan to a piano hinge and hinge to box. A trick would be to router out a grove in the top so the lexan door sits flush. In that case you would want to use 3/4 or thicker plywood.