Live well install on 2002 sundeck 217

caseynettles

First off  I want to thank CJJJ for sending me the wiring schematic for my boat which allowed me to immediately identify the pre-ran wires for the livewell in my boat, awesome!!  I have the switch, circuit breaker and wires already installed in my boat just like many others that did not "come with" the fishing package.  I see inside on the lower part of the transom where two round areas are located, I am assuming this is where the two thru hulls should be located, one being the pump and the other the return.  The live well pump wires terminate right at this location.  I am requesting anyone who has my model boat or similar with the factory fishing package post pics of this transom area as well as the actual inside of the live well.  I am not going out on the boat on the Memorial weekend coming up (too many amateurs) so I will be pulling hoses and drilling my hull instead in an attempt to make the live well truly functional before our big trip in July to the Gulf Coast to scallop for a week.  I have an idea in my head on how it should be laid out but just would like to see how the factory did it before I proceed.

cjjjdeck

Thanks for the kudos, Casey, happy the diagrams helped.

I'm attaching a picture of a 2005 GS 202 transom similar to your boat.  The white cover shown on the water pick up area is an EZ Pump system by TH Marine.  Hurricane uses this on their boats with livewells, as I have on my boat.  Here's a link to the product page of TH Marine's website.  Most on-line suppliers will have it.

http://www.thmarine.com/products/Aeration-and-Plumbing/Aeration-and-Livewell-Systems/Water-Pickup-Systems/EZ-Pump-Advanced-Water-Pick-Up-System

I'm also including the only picture I currently have of my live well interior.  Where the water is coming out there is a screw in plug that allows you to control the water flow (not shown in the picture).  The long plastic tube on one end has a black rubber plug that goes into the drain and a strainer cap on the other end that prevents overflow in your tank.

Hope this helps get you started!  Post pics on the install!

Ernest_T

Here is a photo of the discharge and pickup on my 2010 217 SD.  Very similar location to what cjjjdeck is showing.  The inside of my livewell looks identical to cjjjdeck's.  If you want some internal photos of where the hoses exit and the valves, I could probably get some this weekend, but I'm guessing you will already be drilling holes by then.

caseynettles

thanks guys and yeah I was hoping to see the inside of the transom where the pumps is....is there a seacock on either or both at the thru hulls since they are both below the water line?  From what I am seeing online it looks like the live well pump IS the thru hull on the pressure side, I expected to see a stainless or bronze thru hull and a sea **** THEN the pump but I guess not, seems cheesy but I am still learning as none of my previous boats had a permanent live well.

I ordered the water pickup earlier today, seems like a pretty cool idea.  The live well spray bars I will get locally Saturday at west marine.  I was thinking of making the overflow on the side but from the pictures it looks like the factory uses the overflow tube that drains out the bottom so I have a decision to make.  I have a nice fish tape to help with the hose runs which I have been successful in the past with, still probably will put a small deck plate on either side for the front curtsey light to give me access to the plumbing, not 100% on that yet tho. 

Ernest, do you like your trim tabs?  was thinking about some myself.

Ernest_T

Ernest, do you like your trim tabs?  was thinking about some myself.

Those are Nauticus Smart Tabs.  If you do a search you will find that many Hurricane owners have installed them.  They really change the handling of the boat to the better IMO.  Not too expensive and easy to install.  I recommend them for your 217......it will feel like a different boat, with less bow rise, faster planning at lower speed, and a smoother ride.  

If I get to the lake tomorrow, I will try to get some "behind the transom" photos for you.  

HydroCanis

I can probably get some photos tomorrow as well. I have a 2003 217 OB with the live well connected. There are seacocks immediately inboard on both sides. The through-hulls are plastic-something, and the intake has a simple plastic grate to keep out trash. (Last year I thought the pump was dead but I can hear it running, so I'm going to give it more time to suck up water and see if it will fill the well.)

caseynettles

Thanks Hydro...that will help me a lot because the pumps I have been seeing look like the threaded inlet side IS the thru hull fitting but I would feel better having a seacock right at the transom like you stated.  My bass boat buddies say that their pumps go thru the transom with no valves and that the hose outlet is higher than the water line so no issues...honestly I am not that trusting if I am 10 miles offshore.

Ernest thanks for the input, looks like an easy install....what size are you running, I see three different sizes as well as a composite model that looks cool too.

HydroCanis

0

HydroCanis

These were from holding the camera down through the access holes in the transom floor.

HydroCanis

The pic of the fill spout is from below it.

caseynettles

Awesome!!!! Thanks Hydro that is exactly what I needed to see!!!

HydroCanis

You're quite welcome. Looking forward to reading how it turned out.

Ernest_T

Ernest thanks for the input, looks like an easy install....what size are you running, I see three different sizes as well as a composite model that looks cool too.

I'm using the 60 lb. actuators with the stainless steel tabs.  I also have what they call the PR500 bracket, which allows you to flip the tabs up and out of operation, so you can run the boat with or without them engaged.  This bracket also is needed if you dry store your boat where it has to be fork-lifted out of the water, since the forks will hit the tabs otherwise.  

When I bought my set the composite tabs were just coming out, so stainless steel was the only option.  I think some of the other guys are using the 80 lb. actuators, but I think that would be too much for my boat with the stainless steel tabs.  I'm not sure whether the composite tabs would need a different size actuator.  If you end up getting the wrong actuators, the company will swap them out for another set at no charge.  

Looks like HydroCanis has much better quality photos of the "innards" than I was able to get, so hopefully you will have an operational live-well soon.

caseynettles

thanks everyone for the info, was highly useful.  No one had anything worth buying here locally so I ended up ordering all my supplies so it will not be completed this weekend ugh.... anyway, I ordered TH marine 90 degree livewell drain and overflow tube, a Johnson inline 750gph pump, two SS seacocks (3/4" and 1 1/8"), 1 1/8 inch SS thru hull, 22 feet of 3/4" and 1 1/8" premium hose ( looked thicker and was smooth on the outside), I also found a really cool livewell spray head that can double as a raw water wash down attachment, the spray head unscrews and you can screw on a water hose, I thought that might be useful as our potable water tank isn't all that big maybe 12 gals or so.  I did pick up three 4" deck plates that I am going to add one to each bow seat storage areas in the front to gain access to that area, one goes in the front of the ski locker as well.  That I will attack tomorrow, spent today on my Jon boat out back with my son catching some whitings for dinner.  Hopefully all my orders will arrive this weeks so I can complete next weekend...I am NOT looking forward to pulling these hoses through the small area that is by the keel, I don't see any other way to rout them?

caseynettles

My parts finally arrived!!!  and its storming outside......

cjjjdeck

Love watching the history of a project unfold!  Can't wait to see the progress!