What do you guys think of this for smaller livewell boats??

[waterfoul]

Some of us have smaller livewells that use a kind of "gravity flow" system. Water is pumped into the well and flows out an overflow tube or hole, with no option for pump out. On most boats this kind of system is useless while the boat is on plane.

I've been kinda thinking... for guys like myself who have smaller livewells with the gravity flow system would a constant flow system be benificial while running across the lake? There are a few lakes where you might have a fairly long run back to the weigh in... especially if you are in a slower boat like I am.

You could take a speedometer pickup, mount it to the transom, and then run that little tube into your livewell. This way while you are moving there would be constant flow thru your livewell. The tube isn't big enough to overflow the livewell (at least not on my Tracker) and it would provide fresh water and keep the livewell full the entire time you are on plane. I know that my livewell will lose quite a bit of water while running on a choppy lake.

What do you guys think? Is it worth a try? I think it would be easy to retrofit on my boat since I can reach the outside rear wall of my livewell fairly easy to run the hose into the well. Drill a small hole, run the water line in, seal it up with some sealant. Then if it doesn't work it can easily be removed as well. This entire system could be done for the cost of the speedo pickup (which I can get cheap due to working at West Marine).

[alex-v]

What do you guys think? Is it worth a try?
It is worth a try. As you imply it should not be all that hard to set up and parts certainly cannot cost all that much.

The only thing that you will have to work on is getting enough water into the opening of the tube. Would you need a funnel or some sort of larger opening at the pick-up end to get water to start moving up the tube.

Kind of like sticking an 8 foot section of garden hose out the window of the truck and the other end into the minnow bucket. Just how much air will be forced through the hose and into the water? Thinking about it I doubt that there would be much if any. But, guys have told me that they do this and get good air flow once the put a funnel into the end of the hose that is sticking out the window.

[waterfoul]

Well, I once had the speedo tube come off the back of my speedometer on another boat I once owned. It soaked my feet in just a couple of seconds. Granted, this was at about 55-60 mph. My tracker cruises at around 25 mph and tops out at 30 mph. So there wouldn't be THAT much water but some. More water will go thru the hose than you think. A speedo is simply a calibrated pressure gauge... the water only goes a couple inches into the tube from the transom... but if you open the other end (at the dash) it will litterally spray out!! LOL!!! Plus, on my boat it only has to travel maybe 3-4 feet total.

You really only need enough to keep the well topped off.

[alex-v]

You really only need enough to keep the well topped off.
You asked for thoughts.:D. Now, all you need is some open water to test the system out on. I would think that you could jury-rig a set-up that could be used for testing before drilling or making more permanent changes.

[waterfoul]

Exactly... c-clamp a 1x1 with the pickup at the end of it to the transom and simply run the tube over the deck and into the open well door.... simple.

[wally-eye]

Mike, for a "test" just unhook it from the back of your speedo and then attach another piece of tube to it just long enough to reach the livewell. That'll give you an idea if it'd work before punching another hole in the transom.................

Just an idea.........

[waterfoul]

See... that's why I think outloud on this site... someone always has a better or simpler way!!

[wally-eye]

Just thought that would be an easy way to test your idea............and I'm sure you know "someone" that works in a marine type store where those materials would be at hand...........:lol:

Does sound like a good idea though..........

[alex-v]

Mike, for a "test" just unhook it from the back of your speedo .................Just an idea.........
Still a need for some open water to test this theory.

Somehow unhooking from the back of his speedo does not sound like it would be a pretty site, though.
http://www.speedousa.com/ (http://www.speedousa.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/category.content/categoryID/9bbcd753-c73d-4be4-a625-3e3d26df77d2/)
Hopefully he gives it some more thought before going through with the plan:lol:.

[hunt-n-fool]

I have one of these gravity systems in a sylvan super snapper (14ft).

My water control valve has an OFF/ON or OPEN/CLOSED setting to allow or block water entry/exit. Wouldnt that be easier ?

[waterfoul]

My 88 tracker has no such luxury. To fill the livewll you simply slide a piece of hose onto a nipple at the bottom of the tank and then clip the other end UP into a metal clip. This puts the top of the hose at the desired maximum water level that the pump can fill it to. To empty the well you reach down into the well and pull that hose off. As simple as it gets. No valves.

So when I'm running... or even getting on plane (causing the bow to come up) I lose water out of my well down that hose. I'm just looking to keep the well full since the pump can't draw water while on plane (pickup is on the transom about 1" above the water level while on plane).

[frenchriver1]

I think you would have to experiment with the size of the inlet so that you hit a happy medium rate, flow vs. speed...

[OTIS]

You could put an open close valve on your drain line to keep water from leaving the livewell, not sure how your lines are tied in on your tracker but it could be that you would have a recirculating system if the valve was placed in the correct spot. If the drain line is seperated may not be hard to tie it in. Of course depends on how accessible it is.

I put a 2nd livewell in my Ranger and purchased a few items from this site.

https://www.flow-rite.com/