Livewell addition to bass/jon boat

[SLob-O]

Well, it's been 2 years since my father and I converted my Alumacraft 1470 to a mini bass boat. My buddy and I have joined a local bass league so we used a 100qt cooler as a livewell last year. I got sick of it so I decided it was time to make an in-deck livewell.

I didn't plan on adding a well when I first build the deck, so I needed to figure out where I was going to put it. I had a large storage compartment that had potential, so I took some measurements and started my search for a molded livewell tub. Couldn't find anything close to my dimensions on line and didn't want to spend the $$$ to get one custom molded. I was at the point where I was just going to buy some aluminum plate and fab up a well. I then went to the local boat parts store and there it was.. sitting in the aisle... a molded livewell tub that was as close as you could get to the dimensions I needed! I picked it up for $50 and started disassembling the boat for the build that night.

I have an 800gph Rule Tournament pump coupled to a V4 Flow-Rite valve. Since my plumbing and pump/valve will be below the waterline, I am able to locate the pump very close to the well (mid boat) and run one hose under the floor to the back where it would connect to a Forespar seacock.

Now that I'm using my storage space for the livewell, I decided I'd build a modular storage compartment to hold all the items that were in that space.
The storage compartment is constructed of 2"x2"x1/8" aluminum angle. I bolted the frame together for mock up and I will then tig well it together, removing the bolts when done. She'll be topped off with carpeted, sealed, 3/4" plywood.

 

[SLob-O]

Here's a link to the original build, if you're interested to see what it looked like prior and how it got to where it is.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19944

 

[SLob-O]

Made some more progress last night on the livewell/storage compartment. I added to more supports to the short sides of the well tub, cut the wood top that will eventually have a large oval cut in it to access the well. I also was able to cut an oblong hole in the floor of the boat to allow for the hose to come up through at an angle.

Since the boat is in a cold garage the hose has really been hard to form. I'm assuming heat is the answer to fixing this, but does anyone have any tricks or tips on how to form nylon woven clear hose?

 

[SLob-O]

Little more progress on the storage compartment

 

[SLob-O]

Made some more progress.

Sealed one side of the storage compartment boards and rough plumbed the pump and valve.

 

[baddog23]

hot water will soften the hose up enuff so you can bend it. fill a bucket or just fill the hose an let set for about a minute.

 

[SLob-O]

Ah... Sounds like a great idea! I ended up putting the end near the garage heater for a little bit and got that flexible enough to hook it up to the valve, but the rest is in need of some softening so i think I'll fill it up with hot water like you say.

Thanks!

 

[SLob-O]

Well, I've made good progress within the last few weeks and it won't be long before she's ready to go.
The livewell needs a little bit of work to get done and the storage compartment is very close to being finished.

 

[TxTightLiner]

Nice work! That's a huge 14 footer!
How wide is that boat on the bottom at the transom?

 

[RStewart]

Very nice. What are the dimensions on the livewell tub?

 

[thewalleyehunter]

x2 on the dimensions? Whereabouts did you find it and do they have any more?

 

[SLob-O]

Thanks! The boat is an Alumacraft 1470 River. So, the beam is 70" and I'm not sure of the floor dimensions... maybe 60"? I can check when I get home tonight. Most stable jon boat I've ever been in.

The livewell's inside demensions are roughly 42" long x 12" high x 10" wide. All the sides taper in the closer you get to the bottom and there's a solid 1.5" lip all the way around the top.

I ran across it at a local boat store called Kendor Marine in Franklin, WI. They are kind of a salvage/new product item place so some items have quantity where as some items are solo. Which was the case here. I didn't see any other tubs that were this exact dimensions but there were other tubs there.

Kendor works with Great Lakes Skipper so any item you see on here https://greatlakesskipper.com you could probably get at the store.

 

[thewalleyehunter]

Thanks! The boat is an Alumacraft 1470 River. So, the beam is 70" and I'm not sure of the floor dimensions... maybe 60"? I can check when I get home tonight. Most stable jon boat I've ever been in.

The livewell's inside demensions are roughly 42" long x 12" high x 10" wide. All the sides taper in the closer you get to the bottom and there's a solid 1.5" lip all the way around the top.

I ran across it at a local boat store called Kendor Marine in Franklin, WI. They are kind of a salvage/new product item place so some items have quantity where as some items are solo. Which was the case here. I didn't see any other tubs that were this exact dimensions but there were other tubs there.

Kendor works with Great Lakes Skipper so any item you see on here https://greatlakesskipper.com you could probably get at the store.

Thanks! Franklins not too far from me, so I might need to take a trip.

 

[SLob-O]

Make sure you have enough time, because once you get in there it's hard to leave without looking at everything! And they do have pretty much everything!

 

[RStewart]

Thanks for the info.

 

[SLob-O]

I was able to put the livewell top on and glue the weather stripping down.

Was a little upset that the only color the stripping came in was this oragnish reddish color. oh well, function over appearance I guess.

I also made a fitting with an air bleed in it. The entire plumbing and pump will be below the waterline, but since the seacock is coming in the boat at an angle and there was a hump created. I thought I'd add an air bleed just in case a bubble gets trapped there and wouldn't allow the pump to suck.

Almost done!

 

[bguy]

What is the white board that is wrapped in carpet and how think.

 

[SLob-O]

The white board is the the livewell lid. It's just sitting 180 of where it rests on top of the well. All plywood is 3/4" thick.

 

[SLob-O]

well, I finally goter done!

I was able to button up the build this week and even drop the boat in the water for a quick test of the livewell, motor and to see if I correctly sealed up any transom penetrations made.

Also made a bracket to mount the new fish finder to. I picked up a Humminbird 581i with down imaging and GPS at Bass pro for $300. It's the black and white version. not enough dough to buy the nice colored screens.

All works well...so far

 

[SLob-O]

My buddy snapped a few pictures of the boat while we were testing it at the launch. He took them mostly to see where the water line was at with the few extra lbs I added.
It surprised me how little the boat actually sits in the water... I though (based off the waterline stain on the boat) that the water would at least be up to the second rib, when it barely was over the first rib! Makes me feel better about the extra weight and fishing 3 people!