Removed livewell - hole drains to bottom of boat

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jschen

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Working on this Lund and someone installed a livewell near the middle of the boat. Curious to know how/where it drained I took it out and found a hole in the boat that drains out the bottom. It has a scoop (not sure the correct term) and I was wondering if I need to worry about this bringing water into the boat?

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Well, as far as I know, any hole in a boat that is LOWER than the outside level when floating, will automatically draw water into the boat.

Can you plug it from the outside, using that clamshell?
 
That's what I thought and now I'm glad I checked the boat. Why would they put that there if it's letting in water? It must be okay or they would have sunk the boat by now?

I could probably remove the clamshell and patch the hole. Any recommendations on how to patch something like that?
 
I suspect that the livewell was somehow connected directly to the outlet and had a shutoff inside of the box. When opened, the livewell drained. When the shutoff was closed, no water went in or out.

I have little knowledge on patching something like that. Given no other choice, I'd leave the clamshell on and stuff it full of fibreglass, liberally doped with 3M5200 after it set up.

Of course, welding the hole shut would be best.

There are a lot of very smart people on this site. Hang around, and someone will have a definitive answer for you.
 
FYI this is what I took out. I'm thinking they had the tub sealed in and that's the grey goopy stuff in a ring around the hole. Since the tub had that stopper and above water level it wasn't letting water in. Now that I've removed all that stuff water will come through the clamshell and through the hole.

Seems like the easiest way to fix it would to keep the clamshell there and patch the interior somehow. My solution would be using a plastic piece and use those screws to bolt it down with some 5200. Hope someone has a better solution. =)
 

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If you want to seal it without welding, you can buy a threaded boat drain and bolt it in in place of the current piece. Or you can simply goop it up and go fishing.

https://goo.gl/images/oxRvw3
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jschen said:
My solution would be using a plastic piece and use those screws to bolt it down with some 5200. Hope someone has a better solution. =)

Your solution should work, but I would use an aluminum plate instead of a plastic piece.

That plunger/stopper gismo you removed is remarkably complicated and pretty neat. Someone somewhere is no doubt looking for one just like it.

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Weldorthemagnificent said:
If you want to seal it without welding, you can buy a threaded boat drain and bolt it in in place of the current piece. Or you can simply goop it up and go fishing.

https://goo.gl/images/oxRvw3
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What type of goop are you talking about?
 
5200 is a good one. I have also used rtv sealant although I have heard silicone can react with aluminum. I’d remove the existing piece and make a patch using a piece of aluminum and put 5200 in between and screw it together using the existing screw holes and machine screws with nuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
3M5200 is the "boater's friend". It is the only ....stick-um..... that is approved for below-water-use that I know of.

Some on this site don't like it. They believe that it reacts with the aluminum. I don't know if that is true or not, but the only other choice, for me, would be to find a welder.
 
Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to stick a rubber plug in as far as I can cut it flush and then use 5200 and aluminum patch it with the 3 existing screws/nuts.

I saw aluminum brazing rods, doesn't look too terrible but I only have propane torches and don't want to invest in a MAPP torch for 1 job.
 
Cool design to begin with! A shame it doesn't fit with your set up.
 
Not my boat. Your choice. But, this old codger wouldn't trust my life to "sticking a rubber plug in".

Earlier this year, I had occasion to forget to put the 3/4 inch plug into my boat. I was distracted at the launch for a few minutes. When I noticed water around my ankles, I immediately knew what I had forgotten to do.

The bilge pump was NOT set up to automatically go on. Water was jumping out of the deck drain. The big motor wouldn't start (the cause of my distraction) and my trolling motor barely got me back to the launch.

Nope, no rubber plugs for me.
 
If you really want to make it impervious to water just cut another aluminum disc the size if the scupper on the bottom in the 1/8" thick range. Drill the three holes in the pattern of the disc and use ss machine screws and poly lock nuts. Get some good gasket material and make a gasket and then sandwich the whole thing together sealing it well with 5200. I'll promise you it will not leak and you will have one heck of a time getting it off once it seals.
 

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