Getting the livewell to work

[jsakat1]

Hi I am new to the forum and I have a question. I recently got an 1987 170 Striper.

The livewell I have is in the front console; I don't think it's working. So I am looking for some feedback to see how it works. The pump turns on but no water comes into the live well as it does in other boats I have been on.

When you turn the livewell pump on,  will that pump water into the livewell? Do I have to just fill it up with a bucket?

Again, this is my first boat; I am learning.

There is an opening at the bottom of the transom where the port and starboard sides of the hull meet. My father, whose worked with boats plugged the hole with a screw on plug (squared head) so water didn't go in through it. But what I was thinking was: does water travel through there to reach the bait well. Now if I don't screw in that plug, will I sink?

Help! Anyone that has a 17 foot striper or Osprey help me out with this or give me some suggestions as to what to do.

[RickK]

Hi I am new to the forum and I have a question. I recently got an 1987 170 Striper.

Welcome aboard jsakat1 :!:  Another addition to our 170 family 8) .

The livewell I have is in the front console; I don't think it's working. So I am looking for some feedback to see how it works. The pump turns on but no water comes into the live well as it does in other boats I have been on.

When you turn the livewell pump on,  will that pump water into the livewell? Do I have to just fill it up with a bucket?

Again, this is my first boat; I am learning.

So, where is the pump you say is coming on?  Bottom of the baitwell? Could be just an aerator. Any plumbing connected to it? I'm not sure if Aquasport plumbed the baitwell until much later, so you might have to manually fill the well.
Do you have anything that looks like this on the bottom of your boat?

This is a bronze thru hull "water pickup".   If you have this, look in the bilge through an access plate in the deck near the rear of the boat and see if you can see a pump and maybe a shutoff valve down there. Maybe someone shut off the supply coming into the boat?
Other people have run pvc pipe over the transom and have some sort of pick up there.

There is an opening at the bottom of the transom where the port and starboard sides of the hull meet. My father, whose worked with boats plugged the hole with a screw on plug (squared head) so water didn't go in through it. But what I was thinking was: does water travel through there to reach the bait well. Now if I don't screw in that plug, will I sink?

Help! Anyone that has a 17 foot striper or Osprey help me out with this or give me some suggestions as to what to do.

That is your main drain plug and it must be installed before launching your boat otherwise your entire boat will become a big baitwell

[swflcracker]

You can see the water intake in this photograph of my 17.5.  The thru-hull goes into a stopcock, hosing to the center console area where the pump is and then into my livewell on the front of my console.  Overflow goes out my starboard side.  I don't have to prime or fill anything...just turn the pump on.

[jsakat1]

I have an old school fill it on your own baitwell. I talked to the guy that sold it to me and he advised me of that. Sorry for the very newbie questions; this is my first ever boat.

[swflcracker]

That's what good about this site.  The people here are all pretty good people and have been there, done that.