Live well flooding boat ?? how to fix

Florida85 · #1 12-22-2014, 08:51 PM

I have a 85 20ft master angler. It has the livewell in the back of the boat in the hull (you walk over it). If you are not underway it overfills with water due to it being below sea level. Water pushes through aerator. I have tried everything. It literally floods back of boat with ankle deep water.

The problem is the water is getting pulled from a through hull on the bottom of the boat. Its a connection where I cannot plug.

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do to stop it?

Thank you.

Justin

Capt Chuck · #2 12-22-2014, 11:17 PM

Coast Guard requires a SeaCock on all thru hull fittings.
No seacock = water in the boat

SteveH · #3 12-22-2014, 11:36 PM

yep …i totally agree. you need to start with a seacock. Also sounds like you got plenty of water pick up but perhaps there is an outflow issue. My boat has an outflow that is also able to be closed via a seacock.

Blue_Heron · #4 12-23-2014, 07:16 PM

The others are spot on about the sea cock. Install it before you sink your boat.

After that, you can install a live well pump that's set up to pump water out of the live well. The aluminum box in the picture below contains a float switch to turn the pump on before it floods the deck. The vertical tube sticking out of the drain bung keeps it from going empty when the boat is on plane. It all works.

Dave

FAS · #5 12-23-2014, 08:27 PM

that's a lota fittings,pumps and wiring, for a livewell.I am sure there is a better way,water will seek its own level,cant be too hard.

bumpdraft · #6 12-25-2014, 09:46 AM

I agree that you should have a seacock and a way to shut it off, but then how can you use the bait well. If you have batteries in stern I would try moving them forward. How heavy is the motor. Is there water trapped somewhere (maybe in wood or foam). On my 23, I have a Yamaha 4 stroke, batteries in the stern. Everything is good with two people in the stern. Three good sized guys back there and water starts coming in.

Florida85 · #7 12-29-2014, 02:47 PM

thanks everyone. This forum is the best. I have a yamaha 150 4 stroke on back. Batteries are under center consul (towards front of it).

parrott · #8 12-30-2014, 10:14 AM

The only real way to fix the problem is to raise the floor.
These older Seacrafts were built back in the 2 stoke days and even then they were marginal about self bailing.