Custom Livewell Mockup

[KevinWI]

Ok...apparently my first post here didn't get off to a very good start as the thread was closed because I dug up an old livewell idea thread to post it on...not sure how old threads are less relevant, but whatever....

Anyways, I am in the process of doing a modification of my 1648 Jon boat and the first order of business is to install a livewell utilizing the center seat. I made a mockup for the fabricator as I don't have the equip to fabricate a livewell.
My whole intent is to make this act and work like it came with the boat originally and not southern engineered ( figure of speech) Thoughts and suggestions are always appreciated.

 

[HotRod9mm]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Welcome to the forum.

I'm sure someone here with WAY more experience than me will add their comment but I would lean toward having it in the forward seat. The access is not as easy but I think the weight will help keep the boat more level when you are fishing? Not sure if it will help during trolling but like I said everyone here has far more knowledge than me.

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Thanks for the welcom.

Would seem to me, that middle seat would be ideal. you don't want too much weight forward as it will affect how your boat planes on the water.

not sure I like that I have to be a trivia expert to make a post on this forum.

 

[mxcobra]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

wow
A little more effort- and i dont see why you couldnt just cover that in fiberglass.
finash it up urself - seems like you already got it fabed. up why pay some else to make it for you?

 

[Bigkat650]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Putting too much weight too far forward can cause problems. It can help you get on plane faster, but can also cause your boat to want to 'walk' from side to side once you are on plane.

It's all about balance. If you place it off center, you need to counter that weight on the other side--perhaps your trolling battery.

The easiest thing is to place it as central as possible in the boat. Water weighs something like 8lbs per gallon--so a 20 gallon live well will equal roughly 160lbs, plus the weight of the material to build it, pumps, etc. In addition, water will slosh back and forth, which will add to any 'walking' the boat experiences. The good thing about a Jon boat, is the large flat bottom which inherently makes the boat more stable.

For simplicity sake, if its practical--place it as close to the center of the boat as possible. Not too far forward or back, and not too far port or starboard.

Fiberglass is pretty easy to use, you can recess it in and make it look really nice if you put a little time into it. Good Luck

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Putting too much weight too far forward can cause problems. It can help you get on plane faster, but can also cause your boat to want to 'walk' from side to side once you are on plane.

It's all about balance. If you place it off center, you need to counter that weight on the other side--perhaps your trolling battery.

The easiest thing is to place it as central as possible in the boat. Water weighs something like 8lbs per gallon--so a 20 gallon live well will equal roughly 160lbs, plus the weight of the material to build it, pumps, etc. In addition, water will slosh back and forth, which will add to any 'walking' the boat experiences. The good thing about a Jon boat, is the large flat bottom which inherently makes the boat more stable.

For simplicity sake, if its practical--place it as close to the center of the boat as possible. Not too far forward or back, and not too far port or starboard.

Fiberglass is pretty easy to use, you can recess it in and make it look really nice if you put a little time into it. Good Luck

Which is exactly why I am installing it in the center seat.

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Took it in to fabricator and he really liked the mockup.

His only issue was the intake out the side of the Jon boat instead of the transom. He's worried we won't draft enough water for the intake line.
Anyone have any suggestions on this about the intake out the side toward the bottom on the jon boat?

 

[mxcobra]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

thats how mine is and it works fine

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

mxcobra yours is out the side or out the back? is your boat the same type or a lower draft?

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Visited the shop today and got the final details hammered out. We're going from the transom with the pump, with the line under the floor. One access hole in side of seat for both recirc pump and the overflow/drain out the hull. so basically all the plumbing will be on the left side of the tank.
He was carrying around the mockup like a kid with a stuffed animial....he really liked it and made it easy for both of us to be on the same page....and he can refer to it during the build for reference.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Looks good. What type of fish do you go after? 36" would be a bit short for big pike and musky. Do you use live bait and have you thought about adding an area for bait? The splash lips on the ends seem kind of short, take a hard turn and the water will slosh over them easily. The aluminum lid will act like a cooker in sun light so you will need to address that. The plywood covering would work OK, I'd guess. I lined the lid of my LW with 2 layers of 1/2" closed cell foam, WalMart sleeping bag pad.

Actually, I lined the whole outside of my LW with 1" foam as I use the LW as an ice slurry box. Fill the LW with ice then add water to form an ice slurry, this keeps the fish really cold in hot temps. Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat/cold, so the ambient temp outside will quickly transmit to the water in your livewell.

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

I fish for Walleye, Crappie and panfish. could care less about Muskie or Northern....they be released anyway. Inside of lid will be closed cell foam panels. lip is short, but of course it was a mockup scaled down so it will be around 1" and will also have a thin seal installed around the lip.
Going with Lindy Bait Tamer, so don't need a separate area for my bait..... Good tips. Thanks.

 

[mxcobra]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

thats how mine is and it works fine

side if you look real close you can see it in this pic.
it keeps stable water in the tank as long as your on the water with no pumps of any sort/do have a cheap areater on it though

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

nice.

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

A few picture updates of my Livewell build (see vid above for the original mockup)

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Livewell is complete and installed including plumbing. Just need to hook up electrical, which will come later after the rest of the boat modifications are complete.

 

[yulful]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

Kevin,
I'm new to this so this may be a silly question. But here it goes. Your over flow is tee'd into your drain and your drain level is below the water line. What is allowing your over flow to drain when its below the water line?

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

gravity. water will always seek its own level. It will drain out to the level of the water outside the boat. (lowest point)

Think of it this way. Take a hose and put one end in the kitchen sink filled with water and hold the other up and try to fill the hose.

 

[yulful]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

I guess the pressure is the same. For some reason I had stuck in my mind that there was a pressure difference.
Thanks (sorry for the silly question)

 

[KevinWI]

Re: Custom Livewell Mockup

There are no silly questions to things which you do not know the answer. Happy to answer.