Bait tank questions and other things.

[elsmanwaterman]

Hey everyone.

I've been trying to figure out a best solution for a bait system. On the internet there are many different live wells of all shapes and sizes that I could buy, but I'm now able to use a welder a little and was thinking about making my own up. I had an Idea to use a piece of 12" - 14" pipe cut in half for the ends and some sheet aluminum to join them. I'd say that the overall dimension could be about 14 x 24". Anyone make a custom baitwell similar or come up with a better solution?

I don't suppose that I have to keep it aluminum, but aren't we all here because we all love aluminum?

That being said. I have a V2325 and what I notice is that usually while fishing, all my weight is in the rear of the boat. Mostly passenger weight but also tackle, weights, etc, and sometimes ice chests. Most people mount their baitwell on the back of the boat, often on the swim step, and that seems like a good place for it in many ways, but it seems like that would make my boat even more back heavy. I can definitely move things towards the front of the boat, ice chests, tackle boxes but moving the heaviest things on the boats, people, is not realistic. The action happens mostly in the back of the boat.

The thought of plumbing the bait well in the front of the boat could be good for my goal of moving some of the weight forward but all the welding and potential for problems anywhere from leaks to clogs makes me cringe. Anyone have any solutions they can share?

Anyone cut a hole in the front deck and put some fish holds in the deck? I'd think they would have to be plumbed also. Mascerator in the bottom that pumps to a through hull? Is there enough space under the forward deck to build a ice locker? Bracing would have to be added in order to stiffen up the floor I'm sure as well. Hmm, maybe that would be too much weight to add forward.

One more question: for now.
My boat never came with bilge pumps and I am in the process of installing a couple. There is a couple of terminals back in the rear of the boat that the motors hook up to that I was planning on using for power. Any problems with this? I already installed a hosedown pump and the bait well pump off those as well and everything seems fine but I wondered if there are any potential problems using those. I have fuses going to the smaller items so I think they are protected but maybe there are other considerations?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Steve

[goatram]

Hey everyone.

I've been trying to figure out a best solution for a bait system. On the internet there are many different live wells of all shapes and sizes that I could buy, but I'm now able to use a welder a little and was thinking about making my own up. I had an Idea to use a piece of 12" - 14" pipe cut in half for the ends and some sheet aluminum to join them. I'd say that the overall dimension could be about 14 x 24". Anyone make a custom baitwell similar or come up with a better solution?

I made mine from a 30 gallon white plastic barrel I got for 10 Dollars I used an idea I found here;
http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=151839 Bait tank the rear + less dead loss from the the pounding that your boat takes running to the grounds

I don't suppose that I have to keep it aluminum, but aren't we all here because we all love aluminum?

That being said. I have a V2325 and what I notice is that usually while fishing, all my weight is in the rear of the boat. Mostly passenger weight but also tackle, weights, etc, and sometimes ice chests. Most people mount their baitwell on the back of the boat, often on the swim step, and that seems like a good place for it in many ways, but it seems like that would make my boat even more back heavy. I can definitely move things towards the front of the boat, ice chests, tackle boxes but moving the heaviest things on the boats, people, is not realistic. The action happens mostly in the back of the boat.

The thought of plumbing the bait well in the front of the boat could be good for my goal of moving some of the weight forward but all the welding and potential for problems anywhere from leaks to clogs makes me cringe. Anyone have any solutions they can share?

Anyone cut a hole in the front deck and put some fish holds in the deck? I'd think they would have to be plumbed also. Mascerator in the bottom that pumps to a through hull? Is there enough space under the forward deck to build a ice locker? Bracing would have to be added in order to stiffen up the floor I'm sure as well. Hmm, maybe that would be too much weight to add forward.

Thru hull above the waterline I have four pumps all go to separate fittings

One more question: for now.
My boat never came with bilge pumps and I am in the process of installing a couple. There is a couple of terminals back in the rear of the boat that the motors hook up to that I was planning on using for power. Any problems with this? I already installed a hosedown pump and the bait well pump off those as well and everything seems fine but I wondered if there are any potential problems using those. I have fuses going to the smaller items so I think they are protected but maybe there are other considerations?

Use fuse blocks connected to the Battery not to the Cut off switches. Fuse them correctly

Thanks for your thoughts.

Steve

[goatram]

Steve sorry for taking so long on getting you these pictures
My rendition of a home made Bait Tank. I found the idea from IFish.net in their tech tips and keeper forum Posted by a plastic boat owner Pilar

[JETTYWOLF]

Get with other anglers in your area and look at their livewell set-ups.

What I do in Florida isn't gonna be the same as what you do out yonder, different baits, etc.

Personally, I wouldn't hook anything to those battery cable lugs, but would run the correct wires for each item. I'm not a trash can on the stern kinda guy myself. But folks like Welder & Mojo which have Pacific 23's run one of those "california type" tall and round livewells, and it was installed when they got thier boats.

Livewells are deterimined of course by what baits you're trying to keep alive. I have a 26' CC Pacific and have no problems with people and or weight in the stern. I have two 15 gallon "keep-alive" wells, one closed and aerated, and one that I use my washdown pump to re-circulate water, and hose it with a short garden hose attachment and a drain hose out the scupper. I have a 50 qt. cooler under the leaning post and a 95 in front of the console, and fish four people and me, all the time.

Nice thing is my livewells double as seats, and so does the cooler in the bow.

Here's the link to my youtube video I did of my boat so to show how I have things laid out. Many find the video helpful when looking for an idea or two. My philosophy is.......Keep it simple, light, and useful. NO CLUTTER, just fish dancing room.
I initially did the video as a test for my new camera. It lightened up what I thought looked dark. Bow cooler rides against and in front of consoole, so console is a backrest. Cutting boat improvements in other videos....check'em all out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BLM26CC?fea ... 0iuGdQbSIs

[elsmanwaterman]

Hey Guys.

Thanks for the good pix of the bait tank setup. I could probably make that setup work and save myself a bunch of dough.
I like the kill bucket also. If I end up going after tuna more often, I will probably incorporate something like that as well.

Dave, I saw you chum tube. That's nice. Another addition that I'd like to make if I go after tuna regularly.

I also noticed you have trim tabs. No doubt the fact that you're 3' shorter plus you have trim tabs may help you substantially with weight issues. I also have a large aluminum box/seat under/behind the captain's resting post. Adds more weight there too.

Nice videos. I watched a few of them. Looks like fun over there in the south.

Steve

[elsmanwaterman]

After looking at some of the stuff some of the members here are up to with their boats, all I have to say is, "WoW!"

That being said, I wanted to update anyone interested on what I finally decided to do for a bait tank.

Since I love repurposing things, I loved finally deciding to use a beer keg to make my tank.

I cut the top out first.



Then I used some white plastic that I had laying around and cut out a top and routed it out so that it fit right into the top ring.





Then I cut out the lid and attached an aluminum hinge and handle.



I finally did decide to mount it in the rear of the boat partially blocking the transom door. I am working on welding up the mount for it. I'm not very practiced welding aluminum so hopefully the first attempt will be a keeper.



Hopefully will have the mount welded up within a few days.

Take care everyone and thanks for posting all the great stuff which always gives me great ideas.

[JETTYWOLF]

DAMN........DRUNK BAIT, now that's an idear!

You said originally, "most people mount thier live wells on the stern swim platform." I have to say, that's a WEST coast thang. I can't say I know a soul round me that has all that weight hanging off the stern.

Wow, now that's keeping with the alloy theme. Re-purposing. I likes that.

How many Gallons ya figure that is??


What's wrong with having it in the boat, and using one of the massive Pacific scuppers to just let it re-circulate and discharge via the scupper thru a outlet pipe?

Take all your cooler and such and make it stay in front of the console, and if you can utilize the space under the leaning post if ya have one.

I have trim tabs and never have to use them. Maybe once every 6 months. And on the Jettywolf, I had the console and leaning post moved about 2 + feet forward when built, so it's a TRUE centered console, and keeps "all" the weight not in the stern, with ball room dancing area for fishin'.

[goatram]

How are you going to get water flow in the tank? Pacific Anchovies like the flow spread out in the water column not strong or weak otherwise they die. look at my tank picture with the PVC spray tube and the ball valve. The chovies like to swim in a circle and have a light. With the Aluminum Tank the Light needs to be on full time with the pump to keep them happy and alive.

[S L Dave]

Steve, I have a hatch in the forward deck area of my Pacific 23. There is quite a bit of room down there do do what you are thinking. I will try and get a few pics over the next few days and post them.

[no excuses]

To let some light in I would cut a fairly large hole in the lid and use clear lexan or plexi to allow the light in. I used a bait tank plumbing kit from "livebaitlarry.com". I also used their EZ Pump kit for mounting the water pump.

[S L Dave]

Here are a few pics that I had already of the hatch on my forward deck...I will try and get some better ones and some measurements. That tube below the deck is a wire conduit that the factory put in for the guy who bought the boat so he could run a bilge fan vent and windlass (never installed). Your boat will not have that.

[JETTYWOLF]

Damn Dave, that sure is "squeeky" clean in there.......I likes that. I have a pet peeve about clean and uncluttered.

[S L Dave]

It is really clean down below and there are acres of unused space!! I need to get some real commercial alloy heavy duty hatches in the deck and put some storage bins in between the bracings.

[elsmanwaterman]

Great thoughts all!

Thanks for posting pictures Dave. That is kinda what I'm thinking of doing. Knowing where the bracing is would be nice. If would be nice if your camera could shoot from inside the hatch looking forward. Probably be a difficult picture to take.
Any idea who manufactured those hatches? Were they made custom by the welding shop?

I have not actually filled and checked the volume myself but it looks like they are around 15.7 gallons each. It may be a bit more since I removed some stuff from the inside when I cut the top off, but not much. Maybe 16 gallons or so.

The white plastic lid will let some light in, as will the carrying handles in the top ring which also let the water out. If I need to let more light in, I will replace the lid with a clear plastic one, keeping the outer white ring. I kinda like the toilet seat look. I may even do that regardless.

I have built a flange that I hope will work to connect my already existing Rule 1100 gph pump. It will also have a valve inline which I can throttle down to get the right flow rate. I will be welding a nipple on the outside of the flange and bending a piece of tubing into a 90 degree or half circle and welding it onto the flange on the inside. This should give the water a good push in a circle.

I do plan on moving as much weight forward as possible, deck lockers would help with that for sure. If I could get the ice forward and down in the deck, that would be super nice, freeing up deck space.

Sometime in the future I plan on building an enclosure for my T-top which will mean more weight slightly aft. I will probably have to move Mr. Baittank forward after that. Of course then I would have to actually manage drainage instead of just letting it spill out the handles.

I have though of letting it overflow through the massive scuppers, which I love dearly, but I have this resistance to pumping water into my boat, and of blocking the scuppers in any way. One time I was diving when I dug into a wave and got a nice bit of water in the bow of the boat. All the weight of the water, plus assorted dive gear in the front pulled the weight of my nose down enough to give me a healthy scare and reminded me to keep the decks and drainage clear so that any water that happens to get onboard could rush out, unimpeded. I learned that situation could be avoided in the future by more cautious seamanship but I aim to prevent anything even close to that from happening again.

That's all I've got for now.

Steve

[JETTYWOLF]

Pacific's Built livewells into or on top of the back bulk head what I call the "false transom". Ya wanna work on a serious welding concept, try that. I've seen many styles that have been done. Jay at BLM in Maine sent me this idea.


If live bait keeping is a real BIOTCH.....which it is for me many times here in J-ville Fl. That's why I'm a proficiant "dead bait" troller.....I can make a dead cigar minnow (a local offshore bait) come alive and then troll faster and cover more ground and that bait will wiggle and almost wanna come off the hook and join the school it's swimming so life like!

Personally, if I don't have the perfect equipment, I find a fishery that better suits my equipment. "we have many, here."

You don't have a flat front in front of the console? That's where my large cooler is. The 95 qt sits against the front of my console and never moves with ice in it.

So, you have the leaning post seat "BOX" huh? That's a space taker versus a regular leaning post, but also alot of nice storage. I test drove these boats in two 23 footers with that same set up.

Is this your boat???? Or is this one like yours???


Yep, add "wing-curtains" to that massive console and ya have a nice dry running helm and rear seating area. They can do miracles with that canvas work. Then when it's hot. Roll'em up and outa the way, for a nice breeze. A good color choice adds appeal to the boats overall appearence.

[goatram]

Dave even Canvas made into a Fort is still a fort. It does the job of keeping the wind, rain and sun off you and the passengers.

[elsmanwaterman]

Yup, that's my boat...almost. Instead of that Super T top, I have the soft, fake leather, top. Pretty much the same though.

I do have flat space up front, but I want to build some under the deck storage up there.

Also, I have built tank racks that surround the center console. Lemme look for a pic of those.

[JETTYWOLF]

You have a 23 t-top.....then there's the 23 HT the one I posted. They all have names given to decern what is what.
I see it's an older model with no under gunnel shelf. And I'm guessing you have the big box leaning post, with rear seating, that opens up.

I'll have to bail on discussing this topic because "divers" have all kinds of other issues, because they're having to carry all of that extra stuff, plus regular fishing gear. Which is outa my realm. Looks like you could have used a Pacific 28, then.