# add a bilge and baitwell questions for a carolina skiff



## James_N (Sep 3, 2012)

Not real sure on what to do at this point , so hoping i can get some ideas .
   Not quite a mirco but the CS J16 i have now does not have a bilge area / sump . I have been thing about adding one in for a couple reasons . 

  1) i throw a cast net now and then and the water from net can go in the bilge box and be pumped out via bilge pump rather then waiting till iam back in and can pull the 2 plugs.

2) Adding a bilge area box would let me go with a cleaner looker pump setup vs. a over the transom type . I considered just using cooler type kit , but iam not sure how long i could keep a couple dozen pinfish alive that way as adding water and exchanging water i would think would be a pain .  I do have the large rear deck with dual wells ( 18 gallons i think ) but its in wait mode right now .

What are the cons of adding a bilge box ?  Has anyone here added one in a J14 or  J16  ?

Ive considered if not adding a bilge area , maybe cutting out one of the wells and putter a bigger well under the rear deck , just not sure again how to fill and drain it except bucket over the side of the boat .

Thoughts ?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

It has been sometime since I have been in a CS but as I remember they have a flat floor bow to stern and no depression area for a sump. If that is the case it is difficult to add a bilge to get a gallon or so of water out. You would have to raise the floor and have it feed into a depression where the pump is located - not easy to do.

I would simply carry a sponge and mop up the little bit of water if I felt the need. Another way is to put your drain plugs in from the inside of the boat and get up to speed and remove them - the water will drain out. Just don't forget to put them back in before you come off plane.

A livewell is a preference. Since I do not use live bait very often I don't have one. But I did take a small (20 gal) trashcan and made one. I put two jets in through the side (higher and lower). Then I hooked a pump up on a 4-5' hose and drop it over the side when I get to my fishing spot. The overflow simply drains over the side of the boat. I also made it so that I can drop the pump in the tub and it will pump the water out of the can so I don't have to dump it over inside the boat bacause I can't lift it to dump it overboard. Put it in the shed when not in use.


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## James_N (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks DuckNut ,  your correct in flat deck from bow to stern . From what i see in pictures many carolina skiff J models do have a bilge area .  A post on here has a j12 i think it was , drying out and he added a small sumped area but it was very close to the side of the hull .

  What i read is the skiffs have the flat deck , and foam between the underside of deck and bottom of hull .  Ive read there is not stringers bow to stern , but are some supports/braces  port to starboard side .  Iam just not sure where and if they would be in the area compared to the roughly 6x 6 or 7 x 7 inch box i would cut .


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

This one I've done.  

Flush soled skiffs do better with the sump mounted in the rear corner of the hull.
Lean the hull to that side and all water ends up in the sump. A center mounted sump
always leaves a puddle on one side of the sole or the other. The one I modified
was a j14 and a 4"x7" sump was cut into the starboard rear corner of the sole.
That was 4 inches bow to stern, 7 inches port to starboard. Fit the hole to your pump.
Sanded off the adjacent gelcoat for 4 inches all around the cut-out,
removed 3 inches of foam, then glassed the resulting hole with 4 layers
of 3/4 ounce mat and 2 layers of 6 ounce cloth. Dropped a Rule with
a built in float switch into the sump and the impeller was about an inch
below deck level. that meant that almost all the water would be pumped out
before the impeller would start blowing bubbles.


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## James_N (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks Brett , decided to get it done . Iam either going to do it myself or have it done . Ive worked with glass before , but iam thinking having it done by a shop and have them use epoxy instead of poly .


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Thanks Brett.

I didn't know there was a sole on those boats. That was an easy solution.


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## jms (Apr 21, 2011)

personally:

i would never cut the deck and make a "sump" area -that's asking for trouble

cuttng the decks on foam filled hulls like carolina skiffs,whalers,etc is never a good idea - water can become trapped in the foam,between the hulls-with no real way to remove that water...

smart play:

install a pump on the deck as it is - using the small whale jetski pumps like this is a good idea












this pump,it "pumps" almost level with it's base...

again,i would not cut that deck,that's trouble,especially if the boat's still under warranty...


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## James_N (Sep 3, 2012)

The Cutting out and making a bilge area in my j16 seems to mixed on to do it or not to. So heres what iam left with . 

I have a large rear deck with 2 18 gallon livewells . Without a bilge area , i can't run a thru transom pump. Ive seen the transom mounted pumps and if i go this route , what do i need to buy to hook up and use one of the baitwells ?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Jim- Brett has the experience of doing this and kreepa brought up a valid concern.

How about use them both? Get that cool pump that kreepa shows and 4200 it to the floor in the corner of the boat.

When you get water in just stand on the back corner above the pump.


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## James_N (Sep 3, 2012)

> Jim- Brett has the experience of doing this and kreepa brought up a valid concern.
> 
> How about use them both?  Get that cool pump that kreepa shows and 4200 it to the floor in the corner of the boat.
> 
> When you get water in just stand on the back corner above the pump.



That is what iam thinking maybe the safest - easiest way . that bilge kreepa posted looks like it would sit really close to the deck so it should pick up before alot of water is on the deck , i like that .

Just not sure what i need to get the livewell in use other then a over the transom kit . I seen a few pictures of one on a j16 , but again iam not sure how under the factory addon rear deck its plumbed . Also not sure i could post the link to the craigslist ad i seen of it , to show what i mean . 

It had ( that i know of ) 
1) Transom mounted pump ( not sure if its livewell pump or a bilge pump 

2) Owner told me the livewell also has a recirculator pump and high speed pickup

3) i know near top rear of livewell it had a overflow tube that had a thru hull fitting , also up high thru side of the boat for overflow . 

Thats all i know


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

There is a cover that fits on the transom over the intake tube that allows for it to push water into the tank for use when you are at speed.

I have no idea what it is called but I have seen it somewhere.


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