How to use live bait well

[hhamilton]

I have a 1997 245 Osprey with a live bait well on the transom.  Unfortunately, this is the first boat I've had with a live bait well and I didn't get instructions on how to use it from the prior owner who is no longer available.  The owners manual likes a lot in being able to provide enough detail as to how to make it work, fill, aerate and drain.  Will someone please give me some insight on how to use it.  The boat has an onboard fresh water tank.  In the upper transom door there appears to be a three winged valve handle and there is a spray nozzle that pulls out near the transom door.  Any help would be appreciated by this novice.

[gran398]

Hham, welcome aboard!

I'll do my best here....by not being able to see it, I'll make a few assumptions.


The spray nozzle is your raw water washdown.

The way I envision your system functioning is you  have a clamshell water pickup thru-hull beneath the hull at the stern. There is a lever in the bilge (seacock) which opens and closes, allowing the water to flow in...or not.

This water is fed to a washdown pump which maintains a constant line pressure....it will pump automatically until the correct pressure is reached.

The Y selector valve you describe lets you choose between feeding the livewell or using the washdown...not both simultaneously. If you are using the livewell, the pump will run constantly, as the pressure will never be reached (the water is discharged overboard near the top of the livewell)

If you are using the washdown, the pump will run "on demand" and stop when the pressure is again reached.

Hopefully I'm close with this and it makes sense.  For starters, open up the seacock (lever straight up) turn on the pump, and check it out.

Again, welcome aboard!

[flounderpounder225]

Scott
Since I have the exact boat and set up (no freshwater washdown) you are spot on with all descriptions and functions.  
Marc

[Mark Sr]

I also have the same setup.Those guys are right on.If you look you also have a light inside the live well.

[gran398]

Good deal!  If his pump works, he'll be ready to go catching over the Fourth.

[flounderpounder225]

Now that I am thinking about it, unless your arms stretch like that super hero on the fantastic four (or whatever the name is) you can look at the thru-hull ball valve down at the keel, but good luck grabbing it    Once again, a good idea to do what Pete did, and put a vertical pie plate access in the aft section of the fish box.  That is on my "things to do list"

[pete]

if you have a fresh water tank,and a pull out spray nozzle at your transom door,that is your fresh water washdown.the valve on the starboard controls the salt water washdown,it wont pump water unless boat is in water,and pump works.pics would help

[hhamilton]

Guys thanks for all the input.  I'll have to look for the clam shell scoop on the hull and try to find this valve in the keel.  Pete advised that with a freshwater tank the spray nozzle was probably for the freshwater wash down.  I believe flounderpounder said that the winged handle on the valve switched between the live well and raw water wash down.  If all this is acurate, where is the spray for the raw water wash down or does it come out the same sprayer as the freshwater washdown?  Also, how hard is it to open the intake valve for the live well in the keel?  Can you actually reach it or do you need some type of rod or puller to open and close it?  Can it be reached through the access door in front of motors?

[gran398]

Open that hatch up, get a good flashlight, and check everything out down there. Wiggle some hoses and see where they go. The hose which leads from your freshwater tank will go to its own pump independant of the washdown pump previously described. A hose will leave that pump, this is your freshwater washdown/shower etc.

The raw water washdown hose may be missing from the Y valve.

You'll know more when you open the hatch.

[Mcdiver]

Now that I am thinking about it, unless your arms stretch like that super hero on the fantastic four (or whatever the name is) you can look at the thru-hull ball valve down at the keel, but good luck grabbing it    Once again, a good idea to do what Pete did, and put a vertical pie plate access in the aft section of the fish box.  That is on my "things to do list"

Stretch Armstrong!

[flounderpounder225]

You'll know more when you open the hatch.

   

[Circle Hooked]

If you look at the right of the pic you will see were the salt water wash down hose comes out and the valve to switch between wash down and live well.

[pete]

the hose bib next to the valve is the salt water washdown,just coonect a short lenght of garden hose and a spray nozzle,turn the valve towards the hose and it works towards the live well it works,the pump switches on your dash need to be on for it to pump water.you should have a fill for you fresh water tank somewhere on the starboard side,marked "water"

[hhamilton]

Circle Hook, Pete, FlounderPounder and all you others, thank you so much.  All the advice and especially the picture has been a tremendous help.  I have just one more rookie question, hope you guys don't mind.  Once I get all this working properly and we've finished up the fishing trip, how do you release the water from the live well?

[flounderpounder225]

Circle Hook, Pete, FlounderPounder and all you others, thank you so much.  All the advice and especially the picture has been a tremendous help.  I have just one more rookie question, hope you guys don't mind.  Once I get all this working properly and we've finished up the fishing trip, how do you release the water from the live well?

Drive erratically as you head home, and most of it will splash out  

Seriously Just pull the stand pipe out of it's hole in the bottom of the tank, it will drain out through the thru-hull, make sure you rinse it out real well, or a few days later you will  be reminded by your nose.