Fished our 265 this past week on the ledge and got lucky with dolphin and our first blue marlin. Have been using the livewell as a cooler for drinks and food the past two seasons. The ice just doesn't last because the livewell apparently is not insulated. When you tap on the inside the walls sound very hollow. Was thinking while trolling on Thursday, has anyone tried to pour insulation around the well? Seems like some access plates and a little daming to control the flow of the foam might work. Hate to clutter the cockpit with another cooler and since we don't live bait the livewell as a cooler seems a no brainer. Some insulation would have to help. On a side note, there appears to be a light at the foward end inside the livewell. Does anyone know how it turns on and how the bulb is accessed? Anyone's input or thoughts on my idea would be appreciated.
265 Express Livewell Questions
- Thread starter captain swag
- Start date
Not sure about insulating the baitwell, but the compartment under the lounge seat on the stbd side is well insulated and drains overboard. Not as convenient as the BW, but something to consider.
I assume it's like our sailfish and the light turns on when you flip on the livewell switch. Our light is accessible from the inside (rear panel in the midberth). May as well use the bait tank for something functional if you don't plan to keep live bait I suppose.
I am a new owner to my 265 and this site but have already received excellent advise on fixing my macerator pump/bypassing it. if there is someone that can answer the question you are in the right place!
In the process of fixing mac pump and other items on my 265 I've been looking all around. That could be a hard fix with out making a lot more access and you could prohibit access for other items. If you remove the drawers to the right as you enter the cuddy (and the insert) you get a bit of a view back (more so of the water tank and fish box) I use my live well the same and have the same problem. Working on fixing my heater now, will look around on Thursday while working on heater problem. Sorry can't provide more help but will look around.
Bryan
In the process of fixing mac pump and other items on my 265 I've been looking all around. That could be a hard fix with out making a lot more access and you could prohibit access for other items. If you remove the drawers to the right as you enter the cuddy (and the insert) you get a bit of a view back (more so of the water tank and fish box) I use my live well the same and have the same problem. Working on fixing my heater now, will look around on Thursday while working on heater problem. Sorry can't provide more help but will look around.
Bryan
Sea Shift
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I don't have an answer to the insulation part but I know if I do not close the ball valve in the thru-hull that water gets forced in while under way. That really eats the ice when the water is 60+ deg. Don't ask why I know this. :doh
Haven't checked the seacock on the livewell pump to see if open or closed...good point. The starb. compartment on our 265 doesn't drain overboard??? There is a divider in it as well as a hatch at the bottom presumably to access the plumbing for the (non-existent) head's holding tank. Am going to pull the drawers in cuddy to see access for insulation as well as to find room to mount gyro/rate compass for new autopilot.
My livewell holds ice very well for a full day in South Florida. An open ball valve with no plug in the livewell drain will kill it very quickly, especially if you run at high speed. Water gets forced back through the system and melts your ice. By the time you stop and look into the livewell, if no drainplug installed, the water has drained out and you are left wondering why the ice "melted" so fast.
Check the through hull valve. As pointed out above if the valve is left open the compartment will fill. I have had it happen too. My live well will hold ice well and drinks well. I have also used it to keep bait cold. Make sure the plug in the bottom is in as its a large drain hole. The fish box in the floor behind the helm seat is also insulated. It drains over board, my boat has it hooked to a macerator pump. Looks more like an aftermarket upgrade rather then a factory pump. I don't believe the starboard side compartment under the starboard helm bench is insulated. This compartment also has a deck plate that gives access the top of the holding tank. I mainly use that for storage, not as a cooler.
The starboard compartment is definitely insulated- check out the pic which shows the access hole I made to replace the stnd Groco pump with a conventional macerator. You can clearly see the urethane insulation where I made the cuts. I can't confirm if it drains overboard because my boat is high and dry dealing with the F225 corrosion problem (both engines) as well as a trashed port powerhead.
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Grady macerator pump access cutout.jpg