Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

[dj1173]

:% I just bought a 1989 Bayliner 1510 Bass Trophy and it has a compartment the guy said was a live well but I really don't know how, all it has is a hole with a plug at the bottom. Do I need to buy something?? Do I just pull this plug and leave it open?? I figure the boat would sink if I left it open. I don't see any motor or anything attached to the well. Check It.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

that is a true live well, pull the plug. the water comes in from outside. up to the water level the boat is sitting. you can get an aireator pump if you plan to keep bait in there.. when you run the boat the water runs out. so if you have bait. put the stopper in. also if not fishing, just crusing, out the stopper in. no need to have the weight of the water, when taking off.

 

[dj1173]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

Thanks, I was just wondering. My friend and I were scratching our heads think why won't it over fill, I said because the bouyancy of the boat is greater.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

Never knew they made livewells like that...Looks like a storage compartment with a drain...I have a switch that pumps water into the livewell with a light...There is a screened tube where the top of the tube is 1' above the livewell bottom that screws into the drain hole that prevents water from overfilling...Unscrew the tube and water drains out into the water, not the bilge...Your setup works, but you will have to bucket the water out if your on the lake....Or just ride around with 50lbs of extra water weight....Also make sure your drain hose does not get clogged with a minnow.

Also, I guess you have to buy minnows, launch your boat, and then dump your bait into your livewell...and then remember to pull the plug on the livewell once your boat is out of the water....When you are on plane, you will have to have the plug in as the water will drain out since your boat will be higher....I am not convinced that this is truly a livewell.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

dsiedt, it is definately a livewell. tried and true. many of the old wooden, and fiberglass fishing skiffs, jon boats, had the same set up. most were in the middle seat of the boat. the seat consisted of a box, sealed as best they could, with a hole drilled thru the bottom of the boat. some were even divided, bait on one side, catch on the other. i remember a time when we had the whole family, in a little 16' wooden rental, we were so low in the water, we to take off and the water ran over in the live well.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

I have a similar live-well in my boat; mine has an additional plug that will drain it into the bilge. Sometimes if the waters are a bit rough, I will shut-down my bilge pump (I have a switch that cuts power to the pump) and let the water into the bilge which gives me more weight in the stern. This lets me cut through the chop a little more smoothly.​

 

[mike176]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

I had an old jonboat with a livewell like that in the middel bench. It got the job done with no problem. That setup was a very good idea for a small boat like that.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

Learn something on this forum every day.

 

[MWBROWN]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

My 1984 1510 has a front well with an airiator inlet on the rod locker side, and overflow on the same side and a drain in the bottom. There are supposed to be hoses running to the back of the boat to "t's" connecting to the rear live well. One switch runs one pump to both wells. I am putting some small valves inline to cut down on the water flow, and the pump puts water in faster than it can drain. They both should drain to the back.
At least that is the way mine is set up.

 

[dj1173]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

Thanks Boys, I guess I'll just try it out. First run in this boat is on FRIDAY!!!
going fishing at a small lake out here, called Puddingstone. Figured I'd keep it small for the first run. Wish me luck!

 

[ParallaxBill]

Re: Just bought my 1st boat - Livewell Question

"My friend and I were scratching our heads think why won't it over fill"

LOL!!
Some will overfill depending on where they are in the boat and where the passengers are standing.

Years ago my dad and I were both standing on the same side of our 1971 14' Ebbtide bass boat when water started pouring in from the port side "under-bench" live well. Seems we were heavy enough combined to list the boat enough for it to over fill.
No problem though, we just stepped back and the well quickly self leveled.