Keep your boat from sinking

[senkoboy]

Make sure you have a plug the right size to put in your livewell pump, transom hole. I was on the water Friday when I noticed water on the floor of my Bass Boat. Opened the hatch and found water half way up on my batteries. Turned on the bilge pump and started pumping, once the water got down a ways I found the leak. My livewell pump had a crack on the housing letting water in pretty fast. Managed to fish the rest of the day running the bilge pump every few minutes. If I had a plug that would have fit into the intake hole for my livewell pump I could have fixed the problem. Any break in your livewell plumbing could cause the same problem, water could come in faster than you could pump it out. My tip is make sure you have a plug the right size to put in your livewell pump, might save a fishing day or keep you afloat.
Senkoboy

[The Producer]

Now's there's something most of us probably never thought of. Good thinking & thanks!!

[hammerhead]

I had the same problem with my old Stratos. The housing of the livewell pump had cracked and I didn't know it until my buddy stepped off of the back deck into water in the floor of the boat. We high tailed it back to the launch, running the bilge pump the whole way back. I loaded the boat up on the trailer , pulled it out of the water, and pulled the plug out, letting the rest of the water run out. I put the plug back in and backed it back down in the water. I opened the rear hatch and saw water running in from the livewell pump.

[katyag]

I had the same thing happen, but there was no "hightailing it" anywhere. Couldn't even get close to planing out, so idled back to the ramp. Luckily we weren't that far.

[Fish TR19]

Now that's a good tip. I don't think I could reach the intakes on my boat without getting the water or putting the boat back on the trailer though. Still would be better than just having to quit fishing for the day.

[Bingle]

[Chris Daniels]

If this happens and you don't have a plug to fit, load (or beach) the boat and find a piece of tree branch. Cut it down to fit just inside the hole, wrap it with black electical tape a few times until the fit is very tight and drive it back into the hole. You now have a plug that will save the day.

Been there, done that. It works.